CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-28684

MediumCVSS 6.6
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.25%

17th percentile - higher than 17% of all known CVEs

Summary

python-dotenv versions prior to 1.2.2 have `set_key()` and `unset_key()` functions that follow symbolic links when rewriting `.env` files. A local attacker can overwrite arbitrary files via a crafted symlink when a cross-device rename fallback is triggered. Users should upgrade to v1.2.2 or apply the patch manually.

Risk Assessment

A local attacker could overwrite critical system files, potentially leading to privilege escalation or system damage. However, this requires local access and specific conditions.

Recommendation

Upgrade python-dotenv to version 1.2.2. If upgrading is not possible, manually apply the available patch.

Related vulnerabilities

Original NVD description (English source)

python-dotenv reads key-value pairs from a .env file and can set them as environment variables. Prior to version 1.2.2, `set_key()` and `unset_key()` in python-dotenv follow symbolic links when rewriting `.env` files, allowing a local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files via a crafted symlink when a cross-device rename fallback is triggered. Users should upgrade to v.1.2.2 or, as a workaround, apply the patch manually.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS