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Gentoo 201009-08 High Severity: python-updater Untrusted Path Issue

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Calendar Grey September 21, 2010
Scroller Gentoo
Critical severity Gentoo Linux Advisory GLSA 202301-05: python-manager risk linked to unauthorized execution path vulnerabilities.
An untrusted search path vulnerability in python-updater might result in the execution of arbitrary code.

Summary

Robert Buchholz of the Gentoo Security Team reported that python-updater includes the current working directory and subdirectories in the Python module search path (sys.path) before calling "import".

Topics%20covered

Topics Covered

security advisory high severity security issue gentoo code execution untrusted path python-updater

Resolution

All python-updater users should upgrade to the latest version: # emerge --sync # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-admin/python-updater-0.7-r1"

References

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201009-08
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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.

Severity: High
Title: python-updater: Untrusted search path
Date: September 21, 2010
Bugs: #288361
ID: 201009-08

Topics%20covered

Topics Covered

security advisory high severity security issue gentoo code execution untrusted path python-updater

Synopsis

An untrusted search path vulnerability in python-updater might result in the execution of arbitrary code.

Background

python-updater is a script used to remerge python packages when changing Python version.

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Affected Packages

------------------------------------------------------------------- Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 app-admin/python-updater < 0.7-r1 >= 0.7-r1

Impact

===== A local attacker could entice the root user to run "python-updater" from a directory containing a specially crafted Python module, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code with root privileges.

Workaround

Do not run "python-updater" from untrusted working directories.