CVE-2020-5252Public exploit

Dependency-scan evasion via startup-time library monkey-patching

Published Mar 23, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Security-decision bypass in Safety CLI before 1.9.0 allows local users to hide vulnerable packages from dependency scan results. A package-installed .pth file runs during Python startup and monkey-patches Safety's checking function so selected packages disappear from results. Exploitation requires an attacker-controlled package in the same untrusted Python environment, and the bounded consequence is false-negative audit output.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Security-decision bypass in Safety CLI before 1.9.0 allows local users to hide vulnerable packages from dependency scan results. A package-installed .pth file runs during Python startup and monkey-patches Safety's checking function so selected packages disappear from results. Exploitation requires an attacker-controlled package in the same untrusted Python environment, and the bounded consequence is false-negative audit output.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5252
Published
Mar 23, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Safety Cybersecurity
Product
Safety CLI
Classifications
CWE-807, T1562.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 23, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 1.9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Safety Cybersecurity · Safety CLIversion=< 1.9.0

Published CVSS scores

4.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
1.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-807Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision
T1562.001Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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