The module AccessControl defines security policies for Python code used in restricted code within Zope applications. Restricted code is any code that resides in Zopes object database, such as the contents of Script (Python) objects. The policies defined in AccessControl severely restrict access to Python modules and only exempt a few that are deemed safe, such as Pythons string module. However, full access to the string module also allows access to the class Formatter, which can be overridden and extended within Script (Python) in a way that provides access to other unsafe Python libraries. Those unsafe Python libraries can be used for remote code execution. By default, you need to have the admin-level Zope Manager role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web - which would be a very unusual configuration to begin with - are at risk. The problem has been fixed in AccessControl 4.3 and 5.2. Only AccessControl versions 4 and 5 are vulnerable, and only on Python 3, not Python 2.7. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.
The product receives input from an upstream component that specifies attributes that are to be initialized or updated in an object, but it does not properly control modifications of attributes of the object prototype.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accesscontrol | Zope | 4.0 (including) | 4.3 (excluding) |
| Accesscontrol | Zope | 5.0 (including) | 5.2 (excluding) |
By adding or modifying attributes of an object prototype, it is possible to create attributes that exist on every object, or replace critical attributes with malicious ones. This can be problematic if the product depends on existence or non-existence of certain attributes, or uses pre-defined attributes of object prototype (such as hasOwnProperty, toString or valueOf). This weakness is usually exploited by using a special attribute of objects called proto, constructor or prototype. Such attributes give access to the object prototype. This weakness is often found in code that assigns object attributes based on user input, or merges or clones objects recursively.