1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-4601-1

USN-4601-1: pip vulnerability

Publication date

22 October 2020

Overview

pip could be made to overwrite files as the administrator.

Releases

Packages

Details

It was discovered that pip did not properly sanitize the filename during
pip install. A remote attacker could possible use this issue to read and
write arbitrary files on the host filesystem as root, resulting in a
directory traversal attack. (CVE-2019-20916)

It was discovered that pip did not properly sanitize the filename during
pip install. A remote attacker could possible use this issue to read and
write arbitrary files on the host filesystem as root, resulting in a
directory traversal attack. (CVE-2019-20916)

Update instructions

In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
18.04 bionic python-pip –  9.0.1-2.3~ubuntu1.18.04.4
python3-pip –  9.0.1-2.3~ubuntu1.18.04.4

Reduce your security exposure

Ubuntu Pro provides ten-year security coverage to 25,000+ packages in Main and Universe repositories, and it is free for up to five machines.

Get Ubuntu Pro

References

Have additional questions?

Talk to a member of the team ›