CVE-2019-15796 — python-apt
MEDIUMCVE-2019-15796 is a medium-severity (CVSS 4.7) Improper Authentication vulnerability in python-apt. A fix is available for python-apt — see the affected versions and patch details below.
python-apt Does Not Check Hash Signature
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
python-apt🐍python-apt🐍python-apt🐍python-apt🐍python-aptReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Python-apt doesn't check if hashes are signed in Version.fetch_binary() and Version.fetch_source() of apt/package.py or in _fetch_archives() of apt/cache.py in version 1.9.3ubuntu2 and earlier. This allows downloads from unsigned repositories which shouldn't be allowed and has been fixed in verisions 1.9.5, 1.9.0ubuntu1.2, 1.6.5ubuntu0.1, 1.1.0~beta1ubuntu0.16.04.7, 0.9.3.5ubuntu3+esm2, and 0.8.3ubuntu7.5.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | python-apt | all versions | 0.8.3ubuntu7.5pip install --upgrade 'python-apt==0.8.3ubuntu7.5' |
| 🐍PyPI | python-apt | ≥ 0.9.0&&< 0.9.3.5ubuntu3 | 0.9.3.5ubuntu3pip install --upgrade 'python-apt==0.9.3.5ubuntu3' |
| 🐍PyPI | python-apt | ≥ 1.2.0&&< 1.6.5ubuntu0.1 | 1.6.5ubuntu0.1pip install --upgrade 'python-apt==1.6.5ubuntu0.1' |
| 🐍PyPI | python-apt | ≥ 1.7.0&&< 1.9.0ubuntu1.2 | 1.9.0ubuntu1.2pip install --upgrade 'python-apt==1.9.0ubuntu1.2' |
| 🐍PyPI | python-apt | ≥ 1.9.1&&< 1.9.5 | 1.9.5pip install --upgrade 'python-apt==1.9.5' |
Affected Products
python-aptdebianpython-aptubuntuDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for python-apt, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update python-apt to 0.8.3ubuntu7.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2019-15796 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2019-15796 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.