CVE-2012-5495: Plone Plone Python Code Injection Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-w6pw-5gh5-4952
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CVSS 9.8
CWE-94
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2012-5495 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) plone python code injection vulnerability (CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')) affecting Plone libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves plone python code injection. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.2.3, 4.3b1.

CVE-2012-5495 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2012-5495
GHSA Identifier GHSA-w6pw-5gh5-4952
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Affected Product Plone
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

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:H/I:H/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 High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2012-5495

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

Plone fixed: 4.2.3 
pip install Plone>=4.2.3
Plone fixed: 4.3b1 
pip install Plone>=4.3b1
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 Plone

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2012-5495, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show Plone

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Plone in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.2.3), your application is affected.

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

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment. In Plone, 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

python_scripts.py in Plone before 4.2.3 and 4.3 before beta 1 allows remote attackers to execute Python code via a crafted URL, related to "go_back."

CVE-2012-5495 Affected Plone Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.2.34.3b1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Plone
pypi/Plone
PyPI
< 4.2.3
4.2.3
Plone
pypi/Plone
PyPI
≥ 4.3a1
< 4.3b1
4.3b1

References

NVD — CVE-2012-5495 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-5495
Plone Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/plone/Plone
Plone Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/plone/Products.CMFPlone/blob/4.2.3/docs/CHANGES.txt
Plone Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/plone/PYSEC-2014-37.yaml
Plone Release RELEASE
https://plone.org/products/plone-hotfix/releases/20121106
Plone Security Information SECURITY
https://plone.org/products/plone/security/advisories/20121106/11
Plone Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/11/10/1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2012-5495?
CVE-2012-5495 is a security vulnerability in Plone involving Plone python code injection under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection').
Which Plone versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.2.3, 4.3b1 across affected packages: Plone.
What version fixes CVE-2012-5495?
Upgrading to 4.2.3, 4.3b1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Plone affected?
Yes, Plone is affected in releases prior to 4.2.3, 4.3b1. Upgrade your dependency to 4.2.3, 4.3b1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2012-5495?
CVE-2012-5495 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2012-5495?
CVE-2012-5495 is classified under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') (The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2012-5495?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show Plone'. 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-w6pw-5gh5-4952",
  "modified" : "2024-10-14T21:20:03Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T04:32:00Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2012-5495" ],
  "summary" : "Plone python code injection",
  "details" : "python_scripts.py in Plone before 4.2.3 and 4.3 before beta 1 allows remote attackers to execute Python code via a crafted URL, related to \"go_back.\"",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Plone"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.2.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Plone"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.3a1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.3b1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-5495"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/plone/Plone"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/plone/Products.CMFPlone/blob/4.2.3/docs/CHANGES.txt"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/plone/PYSEC-2014-37.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://plone.org/products/plone-hotfix/releases/20121106"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://plone.org/products/plone/security/advisories/20121106/11"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/11/10/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-94" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-08-29T21:30:16Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2014-09-30T14:55:00Z"
  }
}