virtualenv: Insecure temporary file usage — GLSA 201206-17

An insecure temporary file usage has been reported in virtualenv, possibly allowing symlink attacks.

Affected packages

dev-python/virtualenv on all architectures
Affected versions < 1.5.1
Unaffected versions >= 1.5.1

Background

virtualenv is a virtual Python environment builder.

Description

The virtualenv.py script in virtualenv does not handle temporary files securely.

Impact

A local attacker could perform symlink attacks to overwrite arbitrary files with the privileges of the user running the application.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All virtualenv users should upgrade to the latest version:

 # emerge --sync
 # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-python/virtualenv-1.5.1"
 

References

Release date
June 22, 2012

Latest revision
June 22, 2012: 1

Severity
normal

Exploitable
local

Bugzilla entries