CVE-2025-9906 & CVE-2025-9905 — Keras Library Vulnerabilities Arbitrary Code Execution in AI/ML Framework Vulnerability Analysis Report — By CyberDudeBivash
Author: CyberDudeBivash · Powered by: CyberDudeBivash
Executive Summary
Two serious vulnerabilities were disclosed in the Keras library, widely used in deep learning workflows.
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CVE-2025-9906: CVSS 8.6 (High)
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CVE-2025-9905: CVSS 7.3 (High)
Both issues allow arbitrary code execution (ACE), which could be weaponized in supply-chain attacks, malicious model distribution, or unsafe deserialization of model files. Since Keras underpins many AI/ML production pipelines, the impact radius is vast — from research environments to enterprise ML deployments.
Technical Details
CVE-2025-9906 (CVSS 8.6)
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Type: Deserialization / unsafe model parsing flaw.
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Impact: Maliciously crafted model files (
.h5
/ TensorFlow SavedModel) can trigger execution of arbitrary code when loaded. -
Attack Scenario: An attacker uploads or distributes a tainted model (e.g., via GitHub, Hugging Face, PyPI) → victim loads it into Keras → embedded payload executes.
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Severity Justification: High (8.6) because exploitation requires crafted input but leads to full compromise of ML host.
CVE-2025-9905 (CVSS 7.3)
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Type: Input validation flaw in preprocessing utilities.
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Impact: Under certain conditions, hostile inputs (images, JSON configs, or serialized weight files) cause Keras functions to execute unintended code paths.
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Attack Scenario: Malicious dataset/model metadata used in pipelines (e.g., CI/CD for ML ops) → triggers RCE during training or inference setup.
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Severity Justification: Medium-High (7.3) — requires malicious input file or supply-chain poisoning.
Exploitation Risks
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Supply Chain Poisoning: Malicious models on public repositories can infect enterprise environments.
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CI/CD Attack Surface: Automated retraining workflows that pull community models are especially at risk.
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Cloud ML Platforms: Shared GPU/TPU environments may be abused as stepping stones for lateral movement.
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Data Exfiltration: Attackers can run arbitrary Python code to harvest credentials, data, or inject persistence.
Detection & Indicators
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Unexpected system calls during
keras.models.load_model()
execution. -
Presence of pickled objects / suspicious lambdas in model files.
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ML pipelines spawning child processes not normally used by training jobs.
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Integrity mismatches in downloaded models (hash checks failing).
Immediate Mitigations
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Upgrade to the patched version of Keras (check PyPI / GitHub releases).
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Verify model integrity — only load models from trusted sources; validate SHA256 hashes.
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Sandbox risky operations — run model ingestion in restricted containers.
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Disable auto-execution features — avoid
eval()
or pickle-based deserialization in untrusted contexts. -
Code reviews — audit ML pipeline code for unsafe load practices.
Longer-Term Recommendations
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Secure MLOps: Enforce model signing and verification (e.g., Sigstore, cosign).
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Policy Enforcement: Treat ML artifacts like binaries — with vulnerability scanning and provenance checks.
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Zero-Trust ML: Assume third-party datasets/models are malicious until validated.
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Continuous Threat Hunting: Monitor ML workloads for anomalies in system resource usage.
CyberDudeBivash Action Checklist
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Patch Keras to latest release across all environments.
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Audit ML repos for untrusted
.h5
/ SavedModel files. -
Enforce SHA256 signature verification for every model load.
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Run risky ML jobs in containerized sandboxes with restricted privileges.
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Monitor for suspicious process execution from ML training pipelines.
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Educate data scientists & engineers about malicious model supply-chain threats.
Conclusion
CVE-2025-9906 and CVE-2025-9905 highlight how AI/ML frameworks are becoming prime cyber targets. Exploiting Keras vulnerabilities offers attackers direct execution inside GPU/TPU-equipped environments, often with privileged access. Organizations must patch quickly, enforce model provenance controls, and integrate security into MLOps pipelines.
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