Bug 1860242 (CVE-2020-15801) - CVE-2020-15801 python: sys.path allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary locations
Summary: CVE-2020-15801 python: sys.path allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary loc...
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG
Alias: CVE-2020-15801
Product: Security Response
Classification: Other
Component: vulnerability
Version: unspecified
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
high
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Red Hat Product Security
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On: 1860243 1860244 1860245 1860246 1860247 1860248 1860250 1860251 1860252 1860253 1860254 1860255
Blocks: 1860249
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2020-07-24 06:12 UTC by Dhananjay Arunesh
Modified: 2021-02-16 19:37 UTC (History)
28 users (show)

Fixed In Version:
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Last Closed: 2020-07-28 07:27:44 UTC
Embargoed:

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Description Dhananjay Arunesh 2020-07-24 06:12:34 UTC 
In Python 3.8.4, sys.path restrictions specified in a python38._pth file are ignored, allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary locations. The <executable-name>._pth file (e.g., the python._pth file) is not affected.

References:
https://bugs.python.org/issue41304
https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/21495
Comment 1 Dhananjay Arunesh 2020-07-24 06:15:04 UTC 
Created mingw-python3 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860250]


Created python2 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860246]


Created python26 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860247]


Created python27 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860251]


Created python3 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860248]


Created python34 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: epel-all [bug 1860243]
Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860253]


Created python35 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860252]


Created python36 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860254]


Created python37 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860255]


Created python38 tracking bugs for this issue:

Affects: fedora-all [bug 1860245]
Comment 2 Miro Hrončok 2020-07-24 10:29:53 UTC 
The upstream issue suggests this is only affecting Windows.
Comment 3 Petr Viktorin (pviktori) 2020-07-27 07:28:08 UTC 
The _pth feature for sys.path restrictions is Windows-specific. And mingw-python3 doesn't use the affected releases.
Comment 4 Todd Cullum 2020-07-28 01:16:30 UTC 
This applies to Windows embedded distribution, see here: https://docs.python.org/3.6/using/windows.html#embedded-distribution

>To completely override sys.path, create a ._pth file with the same name as the DLL (python36._pth) or the executable (python._pth) and specify one >line for each path to add to sys.path. The file based on the DLL name overrides the one based on the executable, which allows paths to be restricted >for any program loading the runtime if desired.

And getpathp.c says at the top:

>Used by DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98, Windows NT.

As mentioned above this is specific to Windows and does not affect versions of Python as shipped with RHEL or Red Hat Software Collections.
Comment 6 Product Security DevOps Team 2020-07-28 07:27:44 UTC 
This bug is now closed. Further updates for individual products will be reflected on the CVE page(s):

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2020-15801
Comment 7 Przemyslaw Roguski 2020-07-31 08:31:58 UTC 
Statement:

This flaw does not affect versions of python shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Software Collections or Red Hat Quay; the vulnerable code exists in a module specific to Microsoft Windows deployment.
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