GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 is a medium-severity (CVSS 4.5) remote code execution vulnerability in ipython. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for ipython — see the affected versions and patch details below.
IPython vulnerable to command injection via set_term_title
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.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 379,145 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
ipythonReal-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
IPython provides an interactive Python shell and Jupyter kernel to use Python interactively. Versions prior to 8.10.0 are vulnerable to command injection in the set_term_title function under specific conditions. This has been patched in version 8.10.0.
Impact
Users are only vulnerable when calling this function in Windows in a Python environment where ctypes is not available. The dependency on ctypes in IPython.utils._process_win32 prevents the vulnerable code from ever being reached (making it effectively dead code). However, as a library that could be used by another tool, set_term_title could introduce a vulnerability for dependencies. Currently set_term_title is only called with (semi-)trusted input that contain the current working directory of the current IPython session. If an attacker can control directory names, and manage to get a user to cd into this directory, then the attacker can execute arbitrary commands contained in the folder names.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | ipython | all versions | 8.10.0pip install --upgrade 'ipython==8.10.0' |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for ipython, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update ipython to 8.10.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.