CVE-2010-4534: Django Improper Query String Handling Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-fwr5-q9rx-294f
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CVSS 6.5
CWE-20
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2010-4534 is a HIGH (CVSS 6.5) improper query string handling vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Django libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves improper query string handling in django. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.1.3, 1.2.4.

CVE-2010-4534 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2010-4534
GHSA Identifier GHSA-fwr5-q9rx-294f
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.5
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Django
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.5

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2010-4534

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-2010-4534, 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 administrative interface in django.contrib.admin in Django before 1.1.3, 1.2.x before 1.2.4, and 1.3.x before 1.3 beta 1 does not properly restrict use of the query string to perform certain object filtering, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via a series of requests containing regular expressions, as demonstrated by a created_by__password__regex parameter.

CVE-2010-4534 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

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-fwr5-q9rx-294f
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/django/django
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-28.yaml
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-8.yaml
archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclo... WEB
http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclosure/2010-12/0580.html
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://code.djangoproject.com/changeset/15031
evilpacket.net/2010/dec/22/informa... WEB
http://evilpacket.net/2010/dec/22/information-leakage-django-administrative-interfac
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.securityfocus.com/bid/45562
NVD — CVE-2010-4534 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4534
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/17084839fd7e267da5729f2a27753322b9d415a0
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/85207a245bf09fdebe486b4c7bbcb65300f2a693
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=665373
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
ngenuity-is.com/advisories/2010/dec... WEB
http://ngenuity-is.com/advisories/2010/dec/22/information-leakage-in-django-administrative-inter
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/01/03/5
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/515446
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-2010-4534?
CVE-2010-4534 is a security vulnerability in Django involving Improper query string 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-2010-4534?
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-2010-4534?
CVE-2010-4534 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2010-4534?
CVE-2010-4534 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-2010-4534?
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-fwr5-q9rx-294f",
  "modified" : "2026-05-19T20:18:51Z",
  "published" : "2018-07-23T19:51:40Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2010-4534" ],
  "summary" : "Improper query string handling in Django",
  "details" : "The administrative interface in django.contrib.admin in Django before 1.1.3, 1.2.x before 1.2.4, and 1.3.x before 1.3 beta 1 does not properly restrict use of the query string to perform certain object filtering, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via a series of requests containing regular expressions, as demonstrated by a created_by__password__regex parameter.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.1.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
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        "fixed" : "1.2.4"
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    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4534"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/17084839fd7e267da5729f2a27753322b9d415a0"
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    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/85207a245bf09fdebe486b4c7bbcb65300f2a693"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=665373"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-fwr5-q9rx-294f"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-28.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2011-8.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclosure/2010-12/0580.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://code.djangoproject.com/changeset/15031"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://evilpacket.net/2010/dec/22/information-leakage-django-administrative-interfac"
  }, {
    "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://ngenuity-is.com/advisories/2010/dec/22/information-leakage-in-django-administrative-inter"
  }, {
    "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/archive/1/515446"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45562"
  }, {
    "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" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:35:36Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2011-01-10T20:00:16Z"
  }
}