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Vulnerabilities/CVE-2020-15523Public Intelligence Dossier
Source: python · Limited verification•Last verified: •Collection Degraded
CVE-2020-15523Unknown / EvaluatingHIGH (raw)CVSS 7.8CWE-427

In Python 3.6 through 3.6.10, 3.7 through 3.7.8, 3.8 through 3.8.4rc1, and 3.9 through 3.9.0b4 on Windows, a Trojan horse python3.dll might be used in cases where CPython is embedded in a native application

Published: 05 Jul 2020•Last updated: 14 Oct 2026, 03:47 PM IST•Source identifier: cve@mitre.org
Dossier completeness: source-provided sections 2 / 3 · rule guidance not available. Missing source facts count as incomplete.
Official source
CISA KEV catalog
Unknown
KEV status was not determined.
CVSS score
7.8HIGH (raw)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Metric sourcenvd@nist.gov
EPSS probability
0.9%0.009
Percentile60th
Weakness type
CWE-427
CWE-908
Remediation
Patch status unknown
No fixed version or KB recorded

Why It Matters

Analysis dossier

Why It Matters

In Python 3.6 through 3.6.10, 3.7 through 3.7.8, 3.8 through 3.8.4rc1, and 3.9 through 3.9.0b4 on Windows, a Trojan horse python3.dll might be used in cases where CPython is embedded in a native application. This occurs because python3X.dll may use an invalid search path for python3.dll loading (after Py_SetPath has been used). NOTE: this issue CANNOT occur when using python.exe from a standard (non-embedded) Python installation on Windows.

SOC priority

High

Actively exploited

Unknown

Publicly disclosed

Unknown

Risk basis: Microsoft or Microsoft-managed product relevance; HIGH severity; No confirmed exploitation signal in current enrichment

Affected Products & Remediation

2 source-backed products
Affected products and versions (source)
  • python python · >= 3.5.0 < 3.5.10; >= 3.6.0 < 3.6.12; >= 3.7.0 < 3.7.9; >= 3.8.0 < 3.8.4; 3.8.4; 3.9.0 · NVD CPE · Source
  • netapp snapcenter · version range not provided by source · NVD CPE · Source
NVD applicability prerequisites: cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*. These are conditions, not proof that an environment is exposed or unaffected.
Recorded patch / KBNot provided by source

Vendor or catalog guidance (source)

Not provided by source

Known exploitation (source facts)

Only what a source states. Unknown means no source has said either way; it is not "not exploited".

CISA KEV
Unknown
Exploited (source statement)
Unknown
Publicly disclosed (source)
Unknown

Suggested hunting (rule-based inference)

SecOps Signal recommendation (rule-based inference). These steps are hunting hypotheses from the vulnerability class; they do not state or imply that exploitation occurred here or anywhere.

No rule-based guidance for this vulnerability class

CISA KEV Record

CISA KEV status was not determined for this record.

Change History & Source Data

— No recorded material change

CNA / source
cve@mitre.org
Record status · verification
UPDATED · NVD API
CPE
cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.8.4:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha4:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha5:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:alpha6:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*, cpe:2.3:a:python:python:3.9.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*

Evidence & Provenance

3 public sources
bugs.python.orgSource recordnvd.nist.govSource recordgithub.comSource record

Linked by the query's stored exact CVE association. Review required tables and validation status before use.

Detection Hunting Query
Target: DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities•Defender XDR
Detect endpoints exposed to CVE-2020-15523
Purpose: Exposure assessment (Category: Exposure Check)Why linked: Query metadata names CVE-2020-15523
DeviceTvmSoftwareVulnerabilities| where CveId == "CVE-2020-15523"| project DeviceId, DeviceName, OSPlatform, OSVersion, SoftwareVendor, SoftwareName, SoftwareVersion, CveId, VulnerabilitySeverityLevel, RecommendedSecurityUpdate, RecommendedSecurityUpdateId| sort by VulnerabilitySeverityLevel desc
Schema Checked · Not runtime validatedSource: SecOps Signal deterministic template · Limited verificationStatic screening: Passed structure and schema checks; tenant execution is not verified.
Open KQL Library

Correlated briefings

— No published briefing references this CVE

SecOps Signal surfaces public advisory facts only. A missing value means the source has not published it, not that your environment is unaffected. No tenant inventory is connected.