Python: Arbitrary code execution through SimpleXMLRPCServer

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200502-09 / Python
Release Date	February 08, 2005
Latest Revision	February 08, 2005: 01
Impact	high
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
dev-lang/python	<= 2.3.4	>= 2.3.4-r1, revision >= 2.3.3-r2, revision >= 2.2.3-r6	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #80592

Synopsis

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

2. Impact Information

Background

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

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.

3. Resolution Information

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:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

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

4. References

Page updated February 08, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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