An undocumented and unsafe feature in the PLY (Python Lex-Yacc) library 3.11 allows Remote Code Execution (RCE) via the `picklefile` parameter in the `yacc()` function. This parameter accepts a `.pkl` file that is deserialized with `pickle.load()` without validation. Because `pickle` allows execution of embedded code via `__reduce__()`, an attacker can achieve code execution by passing a malicious pickle file. The parameter is not mentioned in official documentation or the GitHub repository, yet it is active in the PyPI version. This introduces a stealthy backdoor and persistence risk. NOTE: A third-party states that this vulnerability should be rejected because the proof of concept does not demonstrate arbitrary code execution and fails to complete successfully.
CVSS 3.x
| Source | Score | Severity | Vector | Exploitability | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | 9.8 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | 3.9 | 5.9 |
Products Affected
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| dabeaz | ply | 3.11 |