CVE-2008-5983

CVE-2008-5983 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Python with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.9. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-426.

Key facts

Description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the PySys_SetArgv API function in Python 2.6 and earlier, and possibly later versions, prepends an empty string to sys.path when the argv[0] argument does not contain a path separator, which might allow local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file in the current working directory.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-5983?
Untrusted search path vulnerability in the PySys_SetArgv API function in Python 2.6 and earlier, and possibly later versions, prepends an empty string to sys.path when the argv[0] argument does not contain a path separator, which might allow local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file in the current working directory.
How severe is CVE-2008-5983?
CVE-2008-5983 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.9, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2008-5983 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-5983?
CVE-2008-5983 primarily affects Python. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-5983?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2008-5983 published?
CVE-2008-5983 was published on 2009-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (6)

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