Python 3.9.x before 3.9.16 and 3.10.x before 3.10.9 on Linux allows local privilege escalation in a non-default configuration. The Python multiprocessing library, when used with the forkserver start method on Linux, allows pickles to be deserialized from any user in the same machine local network namespace, which in many system configurations means any user on the same machine. Pickles can execute arbitrary code. Thus, this allows for local user privilege escalation to the user that any forkserver process is running as. Setting multiprocessing.util.abstract_sockets_supported to False is a workaround. The forkserver start method for multiprocessing is not the default start method. This issue is Linux specific because only Linux supports abstract namespace sockets. CPython before 3.9 does not make use of Linux abstract namespace sockets by default. Support for users manually specifying an abstract namespace socket was added as a bugfix in 3.7.8 and 3.8.3, but users would need to make specific uncommon API calls in order to do that in CPython before 3.9.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 2 products from python, from fedoraproject organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2022, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2022-11-07T00:15:09.697
2025-11-03T22:16:00.810
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 7.8 (HIGH)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | python | python | ≤ 3.7.15 | Yes |
| Application | python | python | ≤ 3.8.15 | Yes |
| Application | python | python | < 3.9.16 | Yes |
| Application | python | python | < 3.10.9 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 35 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 36 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 37 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For python's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.