CVE-2011-4940

python: potential XSS in SimpleHTTPServer's list_directory()

Severity Score

6.1

*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

*KEV

Decision

*SSVC

Descriptions

The list_directory function in Lib/SimpleHTTPServer.py in SimpleHTTPServer in Python before 2.5.6c1, 2.6.x before 2.6.7 rc2, and 2.7.x before 2.7.2 does not place a charset parameter in the Content-Type HTTP header, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against Internet Explorer 7 via UTF-7 encoding.

La función list_directory en lib/SimpleHTTPServer.py en SimpleHTTPServer en Python anterior a v2.5.6c1, v2.6.x anterior a v2.6.7 RC2, y v2.7.x anterior a v2.7.2 no pone un parámetro charset en la cabecera Content-Type de HTTP, lo que hace más fácil para los atacantes remotos realizar ataques XSS contra Internet Explorer 7 a través de codificación UTF-7.

Multiple vulnerabilities has been discovered and corrected in python. The _ssl module would always disable the CBC IV attack countermeasure. A flaw was found in the way the Python SimpleHTTPServer module generated directory listings. An attacker able to upload a file with a specially-crafted name to a server could possibly perform a cross-site scripting attack against victims visiting a listing page generated by SimpleHTTPServer, for a directory containing the crafted file. A race condition was found in the way the Python distutils module set file permissions during the creation of the.pypirc file. Various other issues were also addressed.

*Credits: N/A

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Required

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

Low

Availability

None

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

High

Authentication

None

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

Partial

Availability

None

* Common Vulnerability Scoring System

SSVC

Decision:-

Exploitation

Automatable

Tech. Impact

* Organization's Worst-case Scenario

Timeline

2011-12-23 CVE Reserved
2012-06-18 CVE Published
2024-08-07 CVE Updated
2025-07-12 EPSS Updated
---------- Exploited in Wild
---------- KEV Due Date
---------- First Exploit

CWE

CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')

CAPEC

References (13)

URL	Tag	Source
http://bugs.python.org/issue11442	X_refsource_confirm
http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN51176027/index.html	Third Party Advisory
http://jvndb.jvn.jp/jvndb/JVNDB-2012-000063	Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/50858	Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/51024	Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/51040	Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/54083	Vdb Entry

URL	Date	SRC

URL	Date	SRC

URL	Date	SRC
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1592-1	2023-02-13
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1596-1	2023-02-13
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1613-1	2023-02-13
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1613-2	2023-02-13
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=803500	2012-06-18
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-4940	2012-06-18

Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions

Vendor		Product				Version		Other		Status
Vendor	Product	Version	Other	Status	<-- -->	Vendor	Product	Version	Other	Status
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				<= 2.5.6 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version " <= 2.5.6"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				0.9.0 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "0.9.0"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				0.9.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "0.9.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				1.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "1.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				1.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "1.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				1.5.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "1.5.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				1.6 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "1.6"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				1.6.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "1.6.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.0.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.0.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.1.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.1.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.1.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.1.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.1.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.1.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.2.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.2.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.2.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.2.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.2.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.2.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.4 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.4"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.5 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.5"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.3.7 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.3.7"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.4.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.4.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.4.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.4.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.4.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.4.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.4.4 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.4.4"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.4.6 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.4.6"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.5.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.5.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.5.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.5.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.5.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.5.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.5.4 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.5.4"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.2"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.3 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.3"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.4 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.4"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.5 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.5"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.6.6 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.6.6"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.7.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.7.1"		-		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.7.1 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.7.1"		rc1		Affected
Python Search vendor "Python"		Python Search vendor "Python" for product "Python"				2.7.2 Search vendor "Python" for product "Python" and version "2.7.2"		rc1		Affected