What is CVE-2021-4315?

CVE-2021-4315 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in psiTurk (pip), affecting versions < 3.2.1. It is fixed in 3.2.1. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.

How severe is CVE-2021-4315?

CVE-2021-4315 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of psiTurk are affected by CVE-2021-4315?

psiTurk (pip) versions < 3.2.1 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2021-4315?

Yes. CVE-2021-4315 is fixed in 3.2.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2021-4315 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2021-4315 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.

What actually determines whether CVE-2021-4315 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.

CVE-2021-4315 in psiTurk

Q: How severe is CVE-2021-4315?

CVE-2021-4315 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Q: Which versions of psiTurk are affected by CVE-2021-4315?

psiTurk (pip) versions < 3.2.1 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2021-4315?

Yes. CVE-2021-4315 is fixed in 3.2.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2021-4315 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2021-4315 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.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2021-4315 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.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2021-4315?

Upgrade psiTurk to 3.2.1 or later.

Summary

NYUCCL psiTurk IS vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Special Elements

A vulnerability has been found in NYUCCL psiTurk up to 3.2.0 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file psiturk/experiment.py. The manipulation of the argument mode leads to improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. Upgrading to version 3.2.1 is able to address this issue. The name of the patch is 47787e15cecd66f2aa87687bf852ae0194a4335f. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-219676.

Impact

Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.

CVE-2021-4315 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.2.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

psiTurk (< 3.2.1)

Security releases

psiTurk → 3.2.1 (pip)

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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Remediation advice

Upgrade psiTurk to 3.2.1 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-4315? CVE-2021-4315 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in psiTurk (pip), affecting versions < 3.2.1. It is fixed in 3.2.1. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
How severe is CVE-2021-4315? CVE-2021-4315 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
Which versions of psiTurk are affected by CVE-2021-4315? psiTurk (pip) versions < 3.2.1 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2021-4315? Yes. CVE-2021-4315 is fixed in 3.2.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2021-4315 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-4315 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-2021-4315 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-2021-4315? Upgrade psiTurk to 3.2.1 or later.