pip Self-update Import Vulnerability Prior to 26.1
CVE-2026-6357 Published on April 27, 2026
pip self-update functionality can import newly installed modules after wheel installation
pip prior to version 26.1 would run self-update check functionality after installing wheel files which required importing well-known Python modules names. These module imports were intentionally deferred to increase startup time of the pip CLI. The patch changes self-update functionality to run before wheels are installed to prevent newly-installed modules from being imported shortly after the installation of a wheel package. Users should still review package contents prior to installation.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-6357 can be exploited with local system access. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have no impact on confidentiality and integrity and availability.
Weakness Type
Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
The software imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-6357
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Affected Versions
Pip maintainers pip:- Before 26.1 is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.