# CVE-2017-16763: Unsafe deserialization in confire

> Attackers can execute arbitrary Python code by inserting malicious payloads into the user-specific YAML configuration file loaded by the Confire library.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** No
- **Published:** 10 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m85c-9mf8-m2m6, PYSEC-2017-78

## What is CVE-2017-16763?

CVE-2017-16763 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An exploitable vulnerability exists in the YAML parsing functionality in config.py in Confire 0.2.0. Due to the user-specific configuration being loaded from "~/.confire.yaml" using the yaml.load function, a YAML parser can execute arbitrary Python commands resulting in command execution. An attacker can insert Python into loaded YAML to trigger this vulnerability.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-16763?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including confire. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `confire` | PyPI | All versions to 0.2.0 | None |
| `confire` | PyPI | All versions to 0.2.0 | None |
| `confire` | PyPI | From 0.1.0 | None |

Products: Confire Project Confire.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-16763?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-16763 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-16763 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16763 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-16763 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-16763 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16763 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- confire (PyPI): affected all versions up to 0.2.0; no fix listed
- confire (PyPI): affected all versions up to 0.2.0; no fix listed
- confire (PyPI): affected from 0.1.0; no fix listed

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-2017-16763/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16763/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16763
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16763
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-16763

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16763/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.