GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7
MEDIUMIPython vulnerable to command injection via set_term_title
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.
Blast Radius
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 | 8.10.0 |
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. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
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 pinpoints whether GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
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 detects GHSA-29gw-9793-fvw7 across PyPI dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.