Summary
pyxdg Arbitrary File Overwrite via Race Condition
Race condition in the xdg.BaseDirectory.get_runtime_dir function in pyxdg 0.25 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files by pre-creating /tmp/pyxdg-runtime-dir-fallback-victim to point to a victim-owned location, then replacing it with a symlink to an attacker-controlled location once the get_runtime_dir function is called.
Impact
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2014-1624? CVE-2014-1624 is a low-severity security vulnerability in pyxdg (pip), affecting versions <= 0.25. It is fixed in 0.26.
- Which versions of pyxdg are affected by CVE-2014-1624? pyxdg (pip) versions <= 0.25 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2014-1624? Yes. CVE-2014-1624 is fixed in 0.26. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2014-1624 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2014-1624 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2014-1624 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2014-1624? Upgrade
pyxdgto 0.26 or later.