Skip to main content

Boteraser | Website and Server Security Solutions

🛡️ CVE-2023-45803 on Ubuntu — python-pip

⚪ Unknown ✅ No Known Exploit OSV
N/A
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

urllib3 is a user-friendly HTTP client library for Python. urllib3 previously wouldn't remove the HTTP request body when an HTTP redirect response using status 301, 302, or 303 after the request had its method changed from one that could accept a request body (like POST) to GET as is required by HTTP RFCs. Although this behavior is not specified in the section for redirects, it can be inferred by piecing together information from different sections and we have observed the behavior in other major HTTP client implementations like curl and web browsers. Because the vulnerability requires a previously trusted service to become compromised in order to have an impact on confidentiality we believe the exploitability of this vulnerability is low. Additionally, many users aren't putting sensitive data in HTTP request bodies, if this is the case then this vulnerability isn't exploitable. Both of the following conditions must be true to be affected by this vulnerability: 1. Using urllib3 and submitting sensitive information in the HTTP request body (such as form data or JSON) and 2. The origin service is compromised and starts redirecting using 301, 302, or 303 to a malicious peer or the redirected-to service becomes compromised. This issue has been addressed in versions 1.26.18 and 2.0.7 and users are advised to update to resolve this issue. Users unable to update should disable redirects for services that aren't expecting to respond with redirects with redirects=False and disable automatic redirects with redirects=False and handle 301, 302, and 303 redirects manually by stripping the HTTP request body.

Distribution advisory

This page covers CVE-2023-45803 as tracked by Ubuntu, for the package python-pip. The fix is available in version 24.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.3; earlier versions remain affected.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached from an adjacent network, attack complexity is high, an attacker needs administrative privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity none, availability none.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

  • Attack vector: Adjacent network — the attacker has to sit on the same local or logical network.
  • Attack complexity: High — the attacker first has to win a race, learn a secret or otherwise prepare the target.
  • Privileges required: High — administrative rights are needed first.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: None.

Weakness class

UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45803 is classified as CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information. Information that should stay internal is disclosed to someone who is not authorised to see it.

Affected software

UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45803 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • python-pip (fixed in 24.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.3)
  • python-urllib3 (fixed in 1.26.5-1~exp1ubuntu0.1)

Timeline and source

Published on 17 October 2023 and last revised on 4 February 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. Record sourced from OSV.

References

ubuntu.com (Report)
github.com (Report)
www.rfc-editor.org (Report)
github.com (Report)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
www.cve.org (Report)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)

Other advisories for this package

python-pip has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Same weakness in other software

These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information) in other software:

CVE-2023-45803 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity Unknown
CVSS Score N/A
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source OSV
Published 2023-10-17
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-02-04
Fix URL N/A

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
python-pip — 24.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.3
python-urllib3 — 1.26.5-1~exp1ubuntu0.1

Vulnerability Monitoring

Track new vulnerabilities in python-pip

UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45803 is rated CVSS 4.2 Medium. BotEraser monitors your WordPress installation and notifies you when software you use appears in our vulnerability database.

Set Up Free Alerts →

No credit card required  ·  Results in minutes

ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

Browse related advisories

All advisoriesUbuntuUbuntu 2023
✓