CVE-2025-47273Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary file write via absolute download paths

Published May 17, 2025 · Updated May 28, 2025

Path traversal in setuptools before 78.1.1 allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files through malicious package-index URLs. PackageIndex.download derives a filename from the URL and passes an absolute path to os.path.join, which discards the intended temporary directory. Exploitation requires deprecated PackageIndex or easy_install code to process an attacker-controlled URL; writes inherit the Python process's permissions.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in setuptools before 78.1.1 allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files through malicious package-index URLs. PackageIndex.download derives a filename from the URL and passes an absolute path to os.path.join, which discards the intended temporary directory. Exploitation requires deprecated PackageIndex or easy_install code to process an attacker-controlled URL; writes inherit the Python process's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-47273
Published
May 17, 2025
Updated
May 28, 2025
Vendor
Python Packaging Authority
Product
setuptools
Classifications
CWE-22, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 17, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 78.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Python Packaging Authority · setuptoolsversion=< 78.1.1

Published CVSS scores

7.7GitHubCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
8.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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