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Fencer Intel
critical 9.8

CVE-2020-15801 json

In Python 3.8.4, sys.path restrictions specified in a python38._pth file are ignored, allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary locations.

published 6y ago modified 26d ago also BIT-libpython-2020-15801 , BIT-python-2020-15801 , BIT-python-min-2020-15801 , EUVD-2020-7784

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
3.6%
EPSS 3.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 89%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

In Python 3.8.4, sys.path restrictions specified in a python38._pth file are ignored, allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary locations. The <executable-name>._pth file (e.g., the python._pth file) is not affected.

Patch / fix

  • bitnami libpython 3.7.9, 3.8.5
  • bitnami python 3.7.9, 3.8.5
  • bitnami python-min 3.7.9, 3.8.5
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP V3.1.5
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP V3.1.5
  • Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP V3.1.5
  • python311 Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.13-1.1
  • python311-core Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.13-1.1
  • python311 Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.11-1.1
  • python311-core Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.11-1.1
  • python311 Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.8-3.1
  • python311-core Linux Micro 6.0 3.11.8-3.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2025:20492-1SUSE-SU-2025:20154-1SUSE-SU-2025:20025-1

  • 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
  • python310 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.10.0rc1-4.2
  • python39 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.9.7-2.1
  • python311 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.11.0b1-1.1
  • python312 openSUSE Tumbleweed 3.12.0a7-1.1

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2025:15713-1openSUSE-SU-2024:14434-1openSUSE-SU-2024:14109-1openSUSE-SU-2024:11283-1openSUSE-SU-2024:11286-1openSUSE-SU-2024:12089-1

Is CVE-2020-15801 in your dependencies? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.

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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-2020-15801 updated cvss 8.4

python: sys.path allowing code to be loaded from arbitrary locations

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 python Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 python, tkinter, python-libs, python-test, python-tools Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 python, python3, tkinter, python-libs, python-test, python-tools, +4 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 pytz, babel, numpy, scipy, Cython, PyYAML, +93 more Red Hat Quay 3 python27 Red Hat Software Collections python27-python, python27-tkinter, rh-python36-python, rh-python38-python, python27-python-libs, python27-python-test, +11 more
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

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

cisa ICSA-23-348-10 updated cvss 9.8

Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500

  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.5 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.5 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.5 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.5 Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6AG1518-4AX00-4AC0) >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.5
    affected: fixed in V3.1.5, mitigation support.industry.siemens.com

Facts from CISA's republication of the vendor's own advisory (CSAF); the linked advisory is the authoritative source. CISA notification · csaf

Exploit prediction

3.63% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 89% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.5 AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
OSV 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
bitnami libpython
>=3.7.0, <3.7.9
>=3.8.0, <3.8.5
3.7.9
3.8.5
bitnami python
>=3.7.0, <3.7.9
>=3.8.0, <3.8.5
3.7.9
3.8.5
bitnami python-min
>=3.7.0, <3.7.9
>=3.8.0, <3.8.5
3.7.9
3.8.5

Affected products

  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP
  • Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP

Classification

Weakness

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.