CVE-2017-16615

An exploitable vulnerability exists in the YAML parsing functionality in the parse_yaml_query method in parser.py in MLAlchemy before 0.2.2

published November 8, 2017

CVSS
โ€”
EPSS
3%
Percentile
88.9
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

๐Ÿšจ A sneaky YAML parser vulnerability lets attackers slip malicious Python code into processed queries! โš ๏ธ Just a misused function is all it takes! Imagine a restaurant chef who blindly follows a recipe without checking the ingredients โ€” a little too trusting! This vulnerability allows attackers to serve up their own secret ingredients in the form of executable Python commands, putting your kitchen at risk. If exploited, an attacker could take control of the server, executing arbitrary Python code with alarming ease. This could mean accessing sensitive data, altering configurations, or even bringing your entire system to a halt โ€” a recipe for disaster!

Put simply

Imagine a restaurant chef who blindly follows a recipe without checking the ingredients โ€” a little too trusting! This vulnerability allows attackers to serve up their own secret ingredients in the form of executable Python commands, putting your kitchen at risk. The vulnerability stems from the use of the 'load' function instead of 'safe_load' in the YAML parsing functionality within MLAlchemy versions before 0.2.2. This oversight allows arbitrary code execution through crafted YAML input, making it a dangerous pitfall for unsuspecting developers.

What to do

If exploited, an attacker could take control of the server, executing arbitrary Python code with alarming ease. This could mean accessing sensitive data, altering configurations, or even bringing your entire system to a halt โ€” a recipe for disaster! To safeguard your application, upgrade MLAlchemy to version 0.2.2 or later immediately. Additionally, review any existing YAML parsing code to ensure that 'safe_load' is consistently used instead of 'load'. Don't let this vulnerability linger! You've got this! Fixing this vulnerability will strengthen your defenses and keep your applications safe! ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.03445 ยท 88.9th percentile
Published
2017-11-08T03:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 08 NOV 03:00Z
    An exploitable vulnerability exists in the YAML parsing functionality in the parse_yaml_query method in parser.py in MLAlchemy before 0.2.2
    cvelistv5