# CVE-2014-4650: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass path restrictions to read source code or execute arbitrary code via crafted URL-encoded path separators in Python's CGIHTTPServer.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Feb 2020
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-4650, GHSA-33c8-ggqv-8g5p, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-4650

## What is CVE-2014-4650?

CVE-2014-4650 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Python Python, published on 20 Feb 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The CGIHTTPServer module in Python 2.7.5 and 3.3.4 does not properly handle URLs in which URL encoding is used for path separators, which allows remote attackers to read script source code or conduct directory traversal attacks and execute unintended code via a crafted character sequence, as demonstrated by a %2f separator.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-4650?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Python Python, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Software Collections.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-4650?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2014-4650 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2014-4650 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Python CGIHTTPServer - Encoded Directory Traversal (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Python Python

- [CVE-2008-5031](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5031/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2016-5636](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5636/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2007-4559](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-4559/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-17522](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17522/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-15308](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-15308/): Incremental HTMLParser feed() allows CPU-exhaustion DoS via repeated unterminated markup declarations (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-4650 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-4650 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Python Python, published on 20 Feb 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2014-4650 exists.

Affected product: Python Python. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4650/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4650/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-4650
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-4650
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-4650

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4650/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.