Command execution via unquoted activation-script paths
Published Oct 22, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Command injection in CPython's venv module allows local users to execute commands when another user activates a crafted virtual environment. EnvBuilder.replace_variables substitutes attacker-controlled environment-directory and prompt strings into shell activation templates without shell-appropriate quoting. Exploitation requires control of the virtual environment path and a separate user to source its activation script; direct use of the environment's Python executable is unaffected.
Summary
What happened
Command injection in CPython's venv module allows local users to execute commands when another user activates a crafted virtual environment. EnvBuilder.replace_variables substitutes attacker-controlled environment-directory and prompt strings into shell activation templates without shell-appropriate quoting. Exploitation requires control of the virtual environment path and a separate user to source its activation script; direct use of the environment's Python executable is unaffected.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-9287
- Published
- Oct 22, 2024
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Python Software Foundation
- Product
- CPython
- Classifications
- CWE-428, CWE-77, T1059.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 3, 2025Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=3.13.0
- Affected versionversion=0 <3.9.21
- Affected versionversion=3.10.0 <3.10.16
- Affected versionversion=3.11.0 <3.11.11
- Affected versionversion=3.12.0 <3.12.8
- Affected versionversion=3.13.0 <3.13.1
- Affected versionversion=3.14.0a1 <3.14.0a2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Crafted venv path activation demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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