CVE-2024-4897: lollms-webui: RCE via malicious GGUF model loading

UNKNOWN PoC AVAILABLE CISA: ATTEND
Published July 2, 2024
CISO Take

Any deployment of lollms-webui with the bindings_zoo feature enabled is vulnerable to full server compromise — an attacker simply needs to trick a user into loading a crafted GGUF file hosted on HuggingFace. Patch is not yet available as of the disclosure commit; disable the bindings_zoo feature or take the instance offline until resolved. This is a supply chain failure: lollms-webui ships a known-vulnerable llama-cpp-python (CVE-2024-34359) and exposes it directly to untrusted model input.

What is the risk?

Effective severity is CRITICAL despite missing CVSS scoring. RCE from a malicious model file requires no authentication if the bindings_zoo feature is exposed, and exploitation is straightforward given CVE-2024-34359's public disclosure. Attack surface is any organization running lollms-webui for internal LLM serving or experimentation — common in AI-forward security and R&D teams. The dependency on HuggingFace as a model source amplifies exposure since adversaries can publish weaponized models at zero cost.

What systems are affected?

Package Ecosystem Vulnerable Range Patched
lollms_web_ui No patch

Do you use lollms_web_ui? You're affected.

How severe is it?

CVSS 3.1
N/A
EPSS
0.4%
chance of exploitation in 30 days
Higher than 35% of all CVEs
Exploitation Status
Exploit Available
Exploitation: MEDIUM
Sophistication
Moderate
Exploitation Confidence
medium
CISA SSVC: Public PoC
Public PoC indexed (trickest/cve)
Composite signal derived from CISA KEV, VulnCheck KEV, CISA SSVC, EPSS, Metasploit, Exploit-DB, trickest/cve, Nuclei templates, and inthewild.io exploitation reports.

What should I do?

6 steps
  1. Immediately disable or restrict access to the bindings_zoo/binding_zoo feature in lollms-webui.

  2. Upgrade llama-cpp-python to a version patching CVE-2024-34359 (>=0.2.72 or vendor-confirmed patched build).

  3. Block loading of model files from untrusted external sources (HuggingFace, arbitrary URLs) at the network or application level.

  4. Run lollms-webui in a sandboxed environment (container with no-privilege, restricted filesystem, network egress controls).

  5. Audit server for indicators of compromise if bindings_zoo was enabled and accessible.

  6. Pin and scan all AI framework dependencies in CI/CD pipelines; add llama-cpp-python to your SCA tooling with alerts for known CVEs.

What does CISA's SSVC say?

Decision Attend
Exploitation poc
Automatable No
Technical Impact total

Source: CISA Vulnrichment (SSVC v2.0). Decision based on the CISA Coordinator decision tree.

How is it classified?

Which compliance frameworks are affected?

This CVE is relevant to:

EU AI Act
Article 9 - Risk management system
ISO 42001
A.6.2 - AI supply chain A.9.3 - AI system security
NIST AI RMF
GOVERN-6.1 - Policies for third-party AI components MANAGE-2.2 - AI risk response — treatment of identified risks
OWASP LLM Top 10
LLM05 - Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-4897?

Any deployment of lollms-webui with the bindings_zoo feature enabled is vulnerable to full server compromise — an attacker simply needs to trick a user into loading a crafted GGUF file hosted on HuggingFace. Patch is not yet available as of the disclosure commit; disable the bindings_zoo feature or take the instance offline until resolved. This is a supply chain failure: lollms-webui ships a known-vulnerable llama-cpp-python (CVE-2024-34359) and exposes it directly to untrusted model input.

Is CVE-2024-4897 actively exploited?

Proof-of-concept exploit code is publicly available for CVE-2024-4897, increasing the risk of exploitation.

How to fix CVE-2024-4897?

1. Immediately disable or restrict access to the bindings_zoo/binding_zoo feature in lollms-webui. 2. Upgrade llama-cpp-python to a version patching CVE-2024-34359 (>=0.2.72 or vendor-confirmed patched build). 3. Block loading of model files from untrusted external sources (HuggingFace, arbitrary URLs) at the network or application level. 4. Run lollms-webui in a sandboxed environment (container with no-privilege, restricted filesystem, network egress controls). 5. Audit server for indicators of compromise if bindings_zoo was enabled and accessible. 6. Pin and scan all AI framework dependencies in CI/CD pipelines; add llama-cpp-python to your SCA tooling with alerts for known CVEs.

What systems are affected by CVE-2024-4897?

This vulnerability affects the following AI/ML architecture patterns: LLM inference servers, self-hosted model serving, AI development workstations, internal AI platforms, model experimentation environments.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2024-4897?

No CVSS score has been assigned yet.

What is the AI security impact?

Affected AI Architectures

LLM inference serversself-hosted model servingAI development workstationsinternal AI platformsmodel experimentation environments

MITRE ATLAS Techniques

AML.T0002.001 Models
AML.T0010.001 AI Software
AML.T0011.000 Unsafe AI Artifacts
AML.T0018.002 Embed Malware
AML.T0049 Exploit Public-Facing Application
AML.T0058 Publish Poisoned Models

Compliance Controls Affected

EU AI Act: Article 9
ISO 42001: A.6.2, A.9.3
NIST AI RMF: GOVERN-6.1, MANAGE-2.2
OWASP LLM Top 10: LLM05

What are the technical details?

Original Advisory

parisneo/lollms-webui, in its latest version, is vulnerable to remote code execution due to an insecure dependency on llama-cpp-python version llama_cpp_python-0.2.61+cpuavx2-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_31_x86_64. The vulnerability arises from the application's 'binding_zoo' feature, which allows attackers to upload and interact with a malicious model file hosted on hugging-face, leading to remote code execution. The issue is linked to a known vulnerability in llama-cpp-python, CVE-2024-34359, which has not been patched in lollms-webui as of commit b454f40a. The vulnerability is exploitable through the application's handling of model files in the 'bindings_zoo' feature, specifically when processing gguf format model files.

Exploitation Scenario

Adversary creates a specially crafted GGUF model file embedding a deserialization payload that triggers OS command execution when parsed by the vulnerable llama-cpp-python. They publish this model on HuggingFace under a plausible name (e.g., a fine-tuned Llama variant). They then send a phishing link or social engineer a user of the target's lollms-webui instance into loading the malicious model via the bindings_zoo interface. Upon model load, the payload executes under the server process — attacker gains a reverse shell, dumps credentials from the host, and pivots to internal network resources or cloud metadata endpoints.

Weaknesses (CWE)

CWE-76 — Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements: The product correctly neutralizes certain special elements, but it improperly neutralizes equivalent special elements.

  • [Requirements] Programming languages and supporting technologies might be chosen which are not subject to these issues.
  • [Implementation] Utilize an appropriate mix of allowlist and denylist parsing to filter equivalent special element syntax from all input.

Source: MITRE CWE corpus.

Timeline

Published
July 2, 2024
Last Modified
July 9, 2025
First Seen
July 2, 2024

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