Call of a spawn process without sanitization

Docs > Code Analysis > Static Analysis Rules > Call of a spawn process without sanitization

Metadata

ID: python-security/os-spawn

Language: Python

Severity: Error

Category: Security

CWE: 78

Description

Detect unsafe shell execution with the os module. We should ensure the command is safe before execution. Use shlex to sanitize user inputs.

Learn More

Python os.spawn*() documentation
Python shlex() module
CWE 78 - Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

Non-Compliant Code Examples

import os

directory = "/tmp"

# Use of unsanitized data to create a process
os.spawnl(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnle(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnlp(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnlpe(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnv(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnve(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnvp(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")
os.spawnvpe(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls")


os.spawnvpe(os.P_WAIT, "/bin/ls " + directory)

Compliant Code Examples

import os
import shlex

# Use of shlex() to sanitize data
os.spawnl(os.P_WAIT, shlex.escape("/bin/ls"))