Python: Buffer Overflow

Background

Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, cross-platform programming language.

Description

Benjamin C. Wiley Sittler discovered a buffer overflow in Python’s “repr()” function when handling UTF-32/UCS-4 encoded strings.

Impact

If a Python application processes attacker-supplied data with the “repr()” function, this could potentially lead to the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application or a Denial of Service.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All Python users should update to the latest version:

 # emerge --sync
 # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-lang/python-2.4.3-r4"