Mod PythonApplication · Apache
CVE-2002-0185
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedmod_python version 2.7.6 and earlier allows a module indirectly imported by a published module to then be accessed via the publisher, which allows remote attackers to call possibly dangerous functions from the imported module.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidencemod_python versions 2.7.6 and earlier have a vulnerability in the publisher handler where modules indirectly imported by a published module can be accessed through the publisher mechanism, allowing remote attackers to invoke potentially dangerous functions in those imported modules that were not intended to be publicly accessible.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Mod PythonApplication
<= 2.7.6CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check mod_python versionRun 'python -c "import mod_python"; print(mod_python.version)' or check the installed package version via pip (pip show mod-python) or system package managerAffected if Version is 2.7.6 or lower
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Verify publisher handler is enabledExamine Apache configuration files (httpd.conf, .htaccess, or included config files) for 'SetHandler mod_python' or 'AddHandler mod_python .py' directives combined with 'PythonHandler mod_python.publisher'Affected if The publisher handler is actively configured and loaded
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Identify published Python modulesLocate .py files in web-accessible directories and check if they contain published functions (functions without leading underscore are publicly accessible via URL)Affected if Published modules exist that import external Python modules with sensitive functions
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Inspect published module importsReview the import statements in published modules to identify which external modules they pull in, especially standard library or third-party modules with potentially dangerous functions (e.g., os, sys, subprocess)Affected if Published modules import modules containing functions not intended for public access
You are affected if mod_python version is 2.7.6 or earlier AND the publisher handler is enabled with at least one .py module published that imports external modules with sensitive functions.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a version of mod_python newer than 2.7.6, or restrict the publisher handler access to only explicitly published modules via configuration.
Fix this in Mod Python
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,408.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2002-0185 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-0185 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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