Unsafe deserialization in MLAlchemy
An exploitable vulnerability exists in the YAML parsing functionality in the parse_yaml_query method in parser.py in MLAlchemy before 0.2.2. When processing YAML-Based queries for data, a YAML parser can execute arbitrary Python commands resulting in command execution because load is used where safe_load should have been used. An attacker can insert Python into loaded YAML to trigger this vulnerability.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | mlalchemy | < 0.2.2 | 0.2.2 |
References
- https://github.com/thanethomson/MLAlchemy/issues/1
- https://joel-malwarebenchmark.github.io/blog/2017/11/08/cve-2017-16615-critical-restful-web-applications-vulnerability/
- https://github.com/thanethomson/MLAlchemy/commit/bc795757febdcce430d89f9d08f75c32d6989d3c
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-xpm8-98mx-h4c5
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16615
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/mlalchemy/PYSEC-2017-19.yaml
- https://github.com/thanethomson/MLAlchemy
- https://joel-malwarebenchmark.github.io/blog/2017/11/08/cve-2017-16615-critical-restful-web-applications-vulnerability
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
-- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
mlalchemy- Disclosed
- 08.11.2017
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:19
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2017-19 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-xpm8-98mx-h4c5 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: mlalchemy
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
This is the only known vulnerability of this package.
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