# CVE-2024-53865: Python package "zhmcclient" has passwords in clear text in its HMC and API logs

> The zhmcclient library logs sensitive passwords in clear text when specific logging features are enabled, exposing credentials to anyone with log access.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p57h-3cmc-xpjq, PYSEC-2026-2073

## What is CVE-2024-53865?

CVE-2024-53865 is a high-severity vulnerability in python-zhmcclient, published on 29 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

zhmcclient is a pure Python client library for the IBM Z HMC Web Services API. In affected versions the Python package "zhmcclient" writes password-like properties in clear text into its HMC and API logs in the following cases: 1. The 'boot-ftp-password' and 'ssc-master-pw' properties when creating or updating a partition in DPM mode, in the zhmcclient API and HMC logs. 2. The 'ssc-master-pw' and 'zaware-master-pw' properties when updating an LPAR in classic mode, in the zhmcclient API and HMC logs. 3. The 'ssc-master-pw' and 'zaware-master-pw' properties when creating or updating an image activation profile in classic mode, in the zhmcclient API and HMC logs. 4. The 'password' property when creating or updating an HMC user, in the zhmcclient API log. 5. The 'bind-password' property when creating or updating an LDAP server definition, in the zhmcclient API and HMC logs. This issue affects only users of the zhmcclient package that have enabled the Python loggers named "zhmcclient.api" (for the API log) or "zhmcclient.hmc" (for the HMC log) and that use the functions listed above. This issue has been fixed in zhmcclient version 1.18.1. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-53865?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including zhmcclient.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zhmcclient` | PyPI | All versions | 1.18.1 |
| `zhmcclient` | PyPI | All versions | 1.18.1 |
| `zhmcclient` | PyPI | All versions | 1.18.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2024-53865?

Upgrade zhmcclient to 1.18.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2024-53865 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-53865 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-53865 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-53865 is a high-severity vulnerability in python-zhmcclient, published on 29 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-53865 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- zhmcclient (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 1.18.1
- zhmcclient (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 1.18.1
- zhmcclient (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 1.18.1

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-2024-53865/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53865/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-53865
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-53865
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-53865

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53865/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.