GLSA 200502-09: Python: Arbitrary code execution through SimpleXMLRPCServer

http://security.gentoo.org/

Severity:	high
Title:	Python: Arbitrary code execution through SimpleXMLRPCServer
Date:	02/08/2005
Bugs:	#80592
ID:	200502-09

Synopsis

Python-based XML-RPC servers may be vulnerable to remote execution of arbitrary code.

Background

Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, cross-platform programming language.

Affected packages

Package	Vulnerable	Unaffected	Architecture(s)
dev-lang/python	<= 2.3.4	>= 2.3.4-r1	All supported architectures

Description

Graham Dumpleton discovered that XML-RPC servers making use of the SimpleXMLRPCServer library that use the register_instance() method to register an object without a _dispatch() method are vulnerable to a flaw allowing to read or modify globals of the associated module.

Impact

A remote attacker may be able to exploit the flaw in such XML-RPC servers to execute arbitrary code on the server host with the rights of the XML-RPC server.

Workaround

Python users that don't make use of any SimpleXMLRPCServer-based XML-RPC servers, or making use of servers using only the register_function() method are not affected.

Resolution

All Python users should upgrade to the latest version:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose dev-lang/python

References

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200502-09.xml

Concerns?

Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org.