CVE-2025-14542 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) CWE-501 vulnerability in utcp. A fix is available for utcp — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Command execution in python-utcp allows attackers to achieve remote code execution when fetching a remote Manual from a malicious endpoint
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2025-14542.
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
utcpReal-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
The vulnerability arises when a client fetches a tools’ JSON specification, known as a Manual, from a remote Manual Endpoint. While a provider may initially serve a benign manual (e.g., one defining an HTTP tool call), earning the clients’ trust, a malicious provider can later change the manual to exploit the client.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | utcp | all versions | 1.1.0pip install --upgrade 'utcp==1.1.0' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for utcp, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update utcp to 1.1.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-14542 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2025-14542 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.