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Home >> Browse Vulnerability Assessment Database >> Gentoo Local Security Checks >> [GLSA-200509-08] Python: Heap overflow in the included PCRE library

Vulnerability Assessment Details

[GLSA-200509-08] Python: Heap overflow in the included PCRE library

Vulnerability Assessment Summary
Python: Heap overflow in the included PCRE library

Detailed Explanation for this Vulnerability Assessment
The remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-200509-08
(Python: Heap overflow in the included PCRE library)

The "re" Python module makes use of a private copy of libpcre
which is subject to an integer overflow leading to a heap overflow (see
GLSA 200508-17).

Impact

A possible hacker could target a Python-based web application (or SUID
application) that would use untrusted data as regular expressions,
potentially resulting in the execution of arbitrary code (or privilege
escalation).

Workaround

Python users that don't run any Python web application or SUID
application (or that run one that wouldn't use untrusted inputs as
regular expressions) are not affected by this issue.

References:
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2005-2491
http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-17.xml

Solution:
All Python users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-lang/python-2.3.5-r2"

Network Security Threat Level: Medium

Networks Security ID:

Vulnerability Assessment Copyright: (C) 2005 Michel Arboi

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