CVE Catalog

CVE-2022-26488

HighCVSS 7.0
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Elevated risk
1.37%

71th percentile - higher than 71% of all known CVEs

Summary

In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured. The installer may allow a local attacker to add user-writable directories to the system search path. To exploit, an administrator must have installed Python for all users and enabled PATH entries. A non-administrative user can trigger a repair that incorrectly adds user-writable paths into PATH, enabling search-path hijacking of other users and system services. This affects Python (CPython) through 3.7.12, 3.8.x through 3.8.12, 3.9.x through 3.9.10, and 3.10.x through 3.10.2.

Risk Assessment

Risk of local privilege escalation, which may allow an attacker to take control of the system or services.

Recommendation

Update Python to version 3.10.3 or later, or if not possible, apply a workaround by manually securing the PATH.

Other vulnerabilities in Python

See all
Original NVD description (English source)

In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured. The installer may allow a local attacker to add user-writable directories to the system search path. To exploit, an administrator must have installed Python for all users and enabled PATH entries. A non-administrative user can trigger a repair that incorrectly adds user-writable paths into PATH, enabling search-path hijacking of other users and system services. This affects Python (CPython) through 3.7.12, 3.8.x through 3.8.12, 3.9.x through 3.9.10, and 3.10.x through 3.10.2.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS