CVE-2010-4535: Django Improper Date Handling Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-7wph-fc4w-wqp2
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-20
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2010-4535 is a MODERATE (CVSS 7.5) improper date handling vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Django libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves improper date handling in django. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.1.3, 1.2.4.

CVE-2010-4535 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2010-4535
GHSA Identifier GHSA-7wph-fc4w-wqp2
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Django
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2010-4535

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Django dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Django fixed: 1.1.3 
pip install Django>=1.1.3
Django fixed: 1.2.4 
pip install Django>=1.2.4
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show Django

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2010-4535, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show Django

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Django in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.1.3), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show Django command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, where the product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. In Django, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The password reset functionality in django.contrib.auth in Django before 1.1.3, 1.2.x before 1.2.4, and 1.3.x before 1.3 beta 1 does not validate the length of a string representing a base36 timestamp, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a URL that specifies a large base36 integer.

CVE-2010-4535 Affected Django Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.1.31.2.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
< 1.1.3
1.1.3
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
≥ 1.2
< 1.2.4
1.2.4

References

NVD — CVE-2010-4535 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4535
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/7f8dd9cbac074389af8d8fd235bf2cb657227b9a
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/d5d8942a160685c403d381a279e72e09de5489a9
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=665373
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7wph-fc4w-wqp2
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/django/django
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-29.yaml
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-9.yaml
Django Security Information SECURITY
https://web.archive.org/web/20200228193349/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45563
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://code.djangoproject.com/changeset/15032
lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-a... WEB
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-January/053041.html
lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-a... WEB
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-January/053072.html
secunia.com/advisories/42715 WEB
http://secunia.com/advisories/42715
secunia.com/advisories/42827 WEB
http://secunia.com/advisories/42827
secunia.com/advisories/42913 WEB
http://secunia.com/advisories/42913
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2010/dec/22/security
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/12/23/4
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/01/03/5
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45563
www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1040-1 WEB
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1040-1
www.vupen.com/english/advisories/... WEB
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0048
www.vupen.com/english/advisories/... WEB
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0098

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2010-4535?
CVE-2010-4535 is a security vulnerability in Django involving Improper date handling in Django under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation.
Which Django versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.1.3, 1.2.4 across affected packages: Django.
What version fixes CVE-2010-4535?
Upgrading to 1.1.3, 1.2.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Django affected?
Yes, Django is affected in releases prior to 1.1.3, 1.2.4. Upgrade your dependency to 1.1.3, 1.2.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2010-4535?
CVE-2010-4535 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2010-4535?
CVE-2010-4535 is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation (The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2010-4535?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show Django'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-7wph-fc4w-wqp2",
  "modified" : "2026-05-19T16:12:17Z",
  "published" : "2018-07-23T19:51:59Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2010-4535" ],
  "summary" : "Improper date handling in Django",
  "details" : "The password reset functionality in django.contrib.auth in Django before 1.1.3, 1.2.x before 1.2.4, and 1.3.x before 1.3 beta 1 does not validate the length of a string representing a base36 timestamp, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a URL that specifies a large base36 integer.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.1.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.2"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.2.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4535"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/7f8dd9cbac074389af8d8fd235bf2cb657227b9a"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/d5d8942a160685c403d381a279e72e09de5489a9"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=665373"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7wph-fc4w-wqp2"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-29.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-9.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20200228193349/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45563"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://code.djangoproject.com/changeset/15032"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-January/053041.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-January/053072.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://secunia.com/advisories/42715"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://secunia.com/advisories/42827"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://secunia.com/advisories/42913"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2010/dec/22/security"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/12/23/4"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/01/03/5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45563"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1040-1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0048"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0098"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:23:37Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2011-01-10T20:00:16Z"
  }
}