CVE-2023-6507
Groups not dropped before running subprocess when using empty 'extra_groups' parameter
- 6.1MediumCVSS base score
- 1.3%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 28% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- NonePublic exploitsnone known yet
Description
An issue was found in CPython 3.12.0 `subprocess` module on POSIX platforms. The issue was fixed in CPython 3.12.1 and does not affect other stable releases. When using the `extra_groups=` parameter with an empty list as a value (ie `extra_groups=[]`) the logic regressed to not call `setgroups(0, NULL)` before calling `exec()`, thus not dropping the original processes' groups before starting the new process. There is no issue when the parameter isn't used or when any value is used besides an empty list. This issue only impacts CPython processes run with sufficient privilege to make the `setgroups` system call (typically `root`).
Timeline
ID reserved
By PSF
- 4 days later
· 4 days later
Published
- 3 years later
· 3 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSFCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium6.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium4.9 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 1.3% · top 28% of all CVEs (12 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.1.
Affected products
Python Software Foundation · CPython
- affected < 3.12.1
- affected 3.13.0a1 – < 3.13.0a3
References
References5
- https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/112334 (opens in a new tab)issue-trackingx_transferred
- https://mail.python.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/AUL7QFHBLILGISS7U63B47AYSSGJJQZD/ (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_transferred
- https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/9fe7655c6ce0b8e9adc229daf681b6d30e6b1610 (opens in a new tab)patchx_transferred
- https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/10e9bb13b8dcaa414645b9bd10718d8f7179e82b (opens in a new tab)patchx_transferred
- https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/85bbfa8a4bbdbb61a3a84fbd7cb29a4096ab8a06 (opens in a new tab)patchx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2023-58738 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2023-6507)Record last updated .