Untrusted search path in Python - CVE-2008-5983
Published: July 5, 2022 / Updated: June 3, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU110156
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 8.5 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2008-5983
CWE-ID: CWE-426
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to execute arbitrary code.
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.
Affected software
Python
Fedora
python26
Fedora
python26
How to mitigate CVE-2008-5983
Install update from vendor's website.
python26 - update to 2.6.5-5.el5
External References
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/01/26/2
- http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-bugs-dist@lists.debian.org/msg586010.html
- http://www.nabble.com/Bug-484305%3A-bicyclerepair%3A-bike.vim-imports-untrusted-python-files-from-cwd-td18848099.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/01/28/5
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=482814
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/01/30/2
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200903-41.xml
- http://secunia.com/advisories/34522
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200904-06.xml
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2010-June/042751.html
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/1448
- http://secunia.com/advisories/40194
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0027.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/42888
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0122
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1596-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1613-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1613-1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/51040
- http://secunia.com/advisories/50858
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1616-1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/51087
- http://secunia.com/advisories/51024