emacs/lisp/progmodes/python.el in Emacs 22.1 and 22.2 imports Python script from the current working directory during editing of a Python file, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file.

When editing Python files Emacs accidentally imported other Python script in the current directory (CVE-2008-3949).

A vulnerability was found in how Emacs would import python scripts from the current working directory during the editing of a python file. This could allow a local user to execute arbitrary code via a trojan python file (CVE-2008-3949).

The remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-200902-06 (GNU Emacs, XEmacs: Multiple vulnerabilities)

    Morten Welinder reports about GNU Emacs and edit-utils in XEmacs: By     shipping a .flc accompanying a source file (.c for example) and setting     font-lock-support-mode to fast-lock-mode in the source file through     local variables, any Lisp code in the .flc file is executed without     warning (CVE-2008-2142).
    Romain Francoise reported a security risk in a feature of GNU Emacs     related to interacting with Python. The vulnerability arises because     Python, by default, prepends the current directory to the module search     path, allowing for arbitrary code execution when launched from a     specially crafted directory (CVE-2008-3949).
  Impact :

    Remote attackers could entice a user to open a specially crafted file     in GNU Emacs, possibly leading to the execution of arbitrary Emacs Lisp     code or arbitrary Python code with the privileges of the user running     GNU Emacs or XEmacs.
  Workaround :

    There is no known workaround at this time.

Emacs developers report :

The Emacs command `run-python' launches an interactive Python interpreter. After the Python process starts up, Emacs automatically sends it the line :

import emacs

which normally imports a script named emacs.py which is distributed with Emacs. This script, which is typically located in a write-protected installation directory with other Emacs program files, defines various functions to help the Python process communicate with Emacs.

The vulnerability arises because Python, by default, prepends '' to the module search path, so modules are looked for in the current directory. If the current directory is world-writable, an attacker may insert malicious code by adding a fake Python module named emacs.py into that directory.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
39954	openSUSE Security Update : emacs (emacs-190)	Nessus	SuSE Local Security Checks	high
37477	Mandriva Linux Security Advisory : emacs (MDVSA-2008:216)	Nessus	Mandriva Local Security Checks	high
35732	GLSA-200902-06 : GNU Emacs, XEmacs: Multiple vulnerabilities	Nessus	Gentoo Local Security Checks	high
34732	FreeBSD : emacs -- run-python vulnerability (66657bd5-ac92-11dd-b541-001f3b19d541)	Nessus	FreeBSD Local Security Checks	high
34213	openSUSE 10 Security Update : emacs (emacs-5597)	Nessus	SuSE Local Security Checks	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2008-3949

high

Tenable Plugins

high

high

high

high

high