GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 — litellm
GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 is a remote code execution vulnerability in litellm. A fix is available for litellm — see the affected versions and patch details below.
LiteLLM: Privilege escalation via unrestricted proxy configuration endpoint
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
litellmReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
The /config/update endpoint does not enforce admin role authorization. A user who is already authenticated into the platform can then use this endpoint to do the following:
- Modify proxy configuration and environment variables
- Register custom pass-through endpoint handlers pointing to attacker-controlled Python code, achieving remote code execution
- Read arbitrary server files by setting UI_LOGO_PATH and fetching via /get_image
- Take over other priveleged accounts by overwriting UI_USERNAME and UI_PASSWORD environment variables
Patches
Fixed in v1.83.0. The endpoint now requires proxy_admin role.
Workarounds
Restrict API key distribution. There is no configuration-level workaround.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | litellm | all versions | 1.83.0pip install --upgrade 'litellm==1.83.0' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for litellm, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update litellm to 1.83.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
How to detect GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id ghsa-53mr-6c8q-9789 -u https://target- Template
- LiteLLM - Arbitrary File Read
- Severity
- high
- Impact
- Authenticated users can execute arbitrary code, read server files, and take over privileged accounts, leading to full system compromise.
- Remediation
- Update to version 1.83.0 or later.
Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (theamanrawat), MIT licensed. View the full template. Scan only systems you are authorised to test.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
This Important flaw in LiteLLM allows an authenticated user to bypass authorization on the `/config/update` endpoint. This enables modification of proxy configurations and environment variables, leading to remote code execution, unauthorized file access, and potential account takeover. Red Hat Ansible Automation…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 | ansible-automation-platform-26/lightspeed-chatbot-rhel9:1777398576 | RHSA-2026:13545 |
| Red Hat OpenShift AI 2.25 | rhoai/odh-llama-stack-core-rhel9:1781826406 | RHSA-2026:28960 |
| Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.3 | rhoai/odh-llama-stack-core-rhel9:1782310008 | RHSA-2026:30056 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-53mr-6c8q-9789 across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.