Py2Play: Remote execution of arbitrary Python code

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200509-09 / py2play
Release Date	September 17, 2005
Latest Revision	September 05, 2006: 02
Impact	high
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
dev-python/py2play	<= 0.1.7	>= 0.1.8	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #103524

Synopsis

A design error in Py2Play allows attackers to execute arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

Py2Play is a peer-to-peer network game engine written in Python. Pickling is a Python feature allowing to serialize Python objects into string representations (called pickles) that can be sent over the network.

Description

Arc Riley discovered that Py2Play uses Python pickles to send objects over a peer-to-peer game network, and that clients accept without restriction the objects and code sent by peers.

Impact

A remote attacker participating in a Py2Play-powered game can send malicious Python pickles, resulting in the execution of arbitrary Python code on the targeted game client.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All py2play users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-python/py2play-0.1.8"

4. References

CAN-2005-2875

Updated September 17, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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