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Fencer Intel
low 1.9

CVE-2011-4944 json

Python 2.6 through 3.2 creates ~/.pypirc with world-readable permissions before changing them after data has been written, which introduces…

published 2012-08-27 14 y ago modified 2026-06-16 4 mo ago also EUVD-2011-4853

cvss
1.9
version 2.0, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.4%
EPSS 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 37%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Python 2.6 through 3.2 creates ~/.pypirc with world-readable permissions before changing them after data has been written, which introduces a race condition that allows local users to obtain a username and password by reading this file.

Patch / fix

  • python2.7 Debian 11 2.7.3~rc2-2

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2011-4944

  • python RHEL 5 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
  • tkinter RHEL 5 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
  • python-libs RHEL 5 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
  • python-tools RHEL 5 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
  • python RHEL 6 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2
  • tkinter RHEL 6 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2
  • python-libs RHEL 6 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2
  • python-test RHEL 6 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2

red hat advisories RHSA-2012:0745RHSA-2012:0744

  • python SLE Module for Python 2 15 SP1, SLE Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP1, SLE Module for Desktop Applications 15 +2 more 2.7.17-7.32.2
  • python-base SLE Module for Python 2 15 SP1, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP1, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 2.7.17-7.32.1
  • python3 SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP1, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 3.6.10-3.42.2
  • python3-base SLE Module for Development Tools 15 SP1, SLE Module for Development Tools 15, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 +1 more 3.6.10-3.42.2

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2020:0234-1SUSE-SU-2020:0114-1

  • python315 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.15.0~a1-1.1
  • python314 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.14.0~a1-1.1
  • python313 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.13.0~b3-1.1
  • python-base openSUSE Tumbleweed 2.7.12-1.4
  • python openSUSE Tumbleweed 2.7.18-8.1
  • python310 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.10.0rc1-4.2
  • python36 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.6.15-1.1
  • python38 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.8.12-1.2

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2025:15713-1openSUSE-SU-2024:14434-1openSUSE-SU-2024:14109-1openSUSE-SU-2024:10536-1openSUSE-SU-2024:11202-1openSUSE-SU-2024:11283-1

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2011-4944 updated cvss 1.2

python: distutils creates ~/.pypirc insecurely

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 python
    affected: no fix planned “Will not fix”
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) python 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, tkinter 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, python-libs 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, python-tools 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) python 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, tkinter 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, python-libs 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2, python-tools 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2012:0745
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, tkinter 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-libs 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-test 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-tools 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-libs 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, tkinter 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-test 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-tools 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, tkinter 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-libs 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, tkinter 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-test 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-tools 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2
    +2 more products
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, tkinter 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-libs 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) python 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-test 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2, python-tools 2.6.6-29.el6_2.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2012:0744
  • Red Hat RHEL Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) python 2.4.3-46.el5_8.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2012:0745

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

Exploit prediction

0.43% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 37% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 2.0 1.9 AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-264 Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.