---
id: "CVE-2026-124318"
page: "https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-124318"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-124318"]
title: "Treeio: staff users can run Python code through stored pickle data"
severity: "high"
cvss: 8.6
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "treeio", "fixed": [], "affected": "<= 2.0", "ecosystem": "pip"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["django", "package", "self-hosted", "treeio"]
not_affected_if: ["admin-not-exposed", "newer-than-2.0", "no-staff-write-access"]
published_at: "2026-11-07T15:17:16+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-07T15:47:57+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-07T15:49:12+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-124318", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-07T15:47:57+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": "https://github.com/treeio/treeio/issues/165", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-07T15:49:12+00:00", "cites": ["https://github.com/treeio/treeio/issues/165"]}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# Treeio: staff users can run Python code through stored pickle data

Link for people: https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-124318 (this .md is for agents)

Treeio, a Django-based web application, deserializes pickle data stored in UpdateRecord format_strings and ModuleSetting values without verification. A staff user who stores a crafted base64 pickle payload through the Django admin can execute Python code as the web server user when news feeds render.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- pip:treeio affected <= 2.0 fixed no fixed version listed

## How to check

- Run `pip show treeio` or check the installed version; 2.0 and earlier are affected, and no fixed version exists.
- Look for pickle.loads in treeio/core/models.py (UpdateRecord.get_format_strings, ModuleSetting.loads; the issue also names ConfigSetting.loads).
- Review who has Django admin/staff access to UpdateRecord, ModuleSetting and ConfigSetting, and audit those rows for unexpected base64 values.

## Fix

No fixed release. The maintainers' issue #165 is open (as of 2026-11-07) and the repository's last push was 2022-04-29. Workaround: restrict staff/admin write access to UpdateRecord, ModuleSetting and ConfigSetting, or patch the code to replace pickle with json.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-07T15:47:57+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-124318
- 2026-11-07T15:49:12+00:00 analyst https://github.com/treeio/treeio/issues/165 — VulnCheck advisory and upstream issue #165 (open, filed 2026-11-06) read. No fix or patch exists; repo inactive since 2022. The issue also names ConfigSetting.loads, which the CVE text does not. No PoC or exploitation reported. Nothing marked verified: neither source is a vendor fix statement.

## Documents

- [advisory] Third-party advisory: www.vulncheck.com https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/treeio-through-2.0-insecure-deserialization-rce-via-admin-editable-pickle-fields
- [describes] treeio #165: Insecure Pickle Deserialization in ModuleSetting/ConfigSetting (open, no fix) https://github.com/treeio/treeio/issues/165

## From the sources

Treeio through 2.0 contains an insecure deserialization vulnerability in UpdateRecord.get_format_strings and ModuleSetting.loads that allows staff users to execute code via unverified pickle data. Attackers can store a crafted base64 pickle payload in an UpdateRecord format_strings field through the Django admin, executing Python code as the web server user when news feeds render.

---

_Free to read, with fair use of about 60 pages a minute. For higher limits or API access: sales@infrastack.ai_