CVE-2008-5983

Publication date 27 January 2009

Last updated 24 July 2024

Ubuntu priority

Low

Why this priority?

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the PySys_SetArgv API function in Python 2.6 and earlier, and possibly later versions, prepends an empty string to sys.path when the argv[0] argument does not contain a path separator, which might allow local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file in the current working directory.

Read the notes from the security team

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
python2.4 12.10 quantal Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
11.10 oneiric Not in release
11.04 natty Not in release
10.10 maverick Not in release
10.04 LTS lucid Not in release
9.10 karmic Ignored end of life
9.04 jaunty Ignored end of life
8.10 intrepid Ignored end of life, was needed
8.04 LTS hardy
Fixed 2.4.5-1ubuntu4.4
7.10 gutsy Ignored end of life, was needed
6.06 LTS dapper Ignored end of life
python2.5 12.10 quantal Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
11.10 oneiric Not in release
11.04 natty Not in release
10.10 maverick Not in release
10.04 LTS lucid Not in release
9.10 karmic Ignored end of life
9.04 jaunty Ignored end of life
8.10 intrepid Ignored end of life, was needed
8.04 LTS hardy
Fixed 2.5.2-2ubuntu6.2
7.10 gutsy Ignored end of life, was needed
6.06 LTS dapper Not in release
python2.6 12.10 quantal Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
11.10 oneiric
Not affected
11.04 natty
Not affected
10.10 maverick
Not affected
10.04 LTS lucid
Fixed 2.6.5-1ubuntu6.1
9.10 karmic Ignored end of life
8.04 LTS hardy Not in release
6.06 LTS dapper Not in release
python2.7 12.10 quantal
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
11.10 oneiric
Not affected
11.04 natty
Not affected
10.10 maverick
Not affected
10.04 LTS lucid Not in release
8.04 LTS hardy Not in release
python3.1 12.10 quantal Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
11.10 oneiric Not in release
11.04 natty
Not affected
10.04 LTS lucid
Fixed 3.1.2-0ubuntu3.2
8.04 LTS hardy Not in release
python3.2 12.10 quantal
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
11.10 oneiric
Not affected
11.04 natty
Not affected
10.04 LTS lucid Not in release
8.04 LTS hardy Not in release

Notes

jdstrand

upstream added new C API function, PySys_SetArgvEx, which can be used to set sys.argv without also modifying sys.path. The default behavior for PySys_SetArgv does not change.

Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. How can I get the fixes?

Package Patch details
python2.6
python3.1

References

Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

    • USN-1613-1
    • Python 2.5 vulnerabilities
    • 17 October 2012
    • USN-1613-2
    • Python 2.4 vulnerabilities
    • 17 October 2012
    • USN-1616-1
    • Python 3.1 vulnerabilities
    • 24 October 2012
    • USN-1596-1
    • Python 2.6 vulnerabilities
    • 4 October 2012

Other references