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Gentoo Linux Security Advisory                           GLSA 200502-09
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                                            http://security.gentoo.org/
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  Severity: High
     Title: Python: Arbitrary code execution through SimpleXMLRPCServer
      Date: February 08, 2005
      Bugs: #80592
        ID: 200502-09

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Synopsis
========

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

Background
==========

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

Affected packages
=================

    -------------------------------------------------------------------
     Package          /  Vulnerable  /                      Unaffected
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
  1  dev-lang/python      <= 2.3.4                         >= 2.3.4-r1
                                                          *>= 2.3.3-r2
                                                          *>= 2.2.3-r6

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.

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:

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

References
==========

  [ 1 ] CAN-2005-0089
        http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2005-0089
  [ 2 ] Python PSF-2005-001
        http://www.python.org/security/PSF-2005-001/

Availability
============

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at
the Gentoo Security Website:

  http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200502-09.xml

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
http://bugs.gentoo.org.

License
=======

Copyright 2005 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text
belongs to its owner(s).

The contents of this document are licensed under the
Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0