Bug#605178: python-uno: Use of PYTHONPATH env var in an insecure way
Package: python-uno
Version: 1:3.3.0~beta2-2
Severity: important
Tags: security
User: debian-python@lists.debian.org
Usertags: pythonpath
Jakub Wilk performed an analysis[1] for packages setting PYTHONPATH in
an insecure way. Those packages do something like:
PYTHONPATH=/spam/eggs:$PYTHONPATH
This is wrong, because if PYTHONPATH were originally unset or empty,
current working directory would be added to sys.path.
[1] http://lists.debian.org/debian-python/2010/11/msg00045.html
Your package turns out to ship vulnerable examples or contains
insecure advices: you can find a complete log at [2].
[2] http://people.debian.org/~morph/mbf/pythonpath.txt
Some guidelines on how to fix these bugs: in the case given above, you
can use something like
PYTHONPATH=/spam/eggs${PYTHONPATH:+:$PYTHONPATH}
(If you don't known this construct, grep for "Use Alternative Value"
in the bash/dash manpage.)
Also, in cases like
PYTHONPATH=/usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/:$PYTHONPATH
or
PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$SPAMDIR exec python $SPAMDIR/spam.py
you shouldn't need to touch PYTHONPATH at all.
Feel free to contact debian-python@lists.debian.org in case of
help.
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