CVE-2019-13404
** DISPUTED ** The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27...
The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
7.8
The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x
- Record
CVE-2019-13404- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 9.3 High
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-552
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x
- Record
CVE-2019-13404- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-4898 No score
The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x
- Record
EUVD-2019-4898- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-vjph-xp4h-fpjw
7.8
** DISPUTED ** The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27...
** DISPUTED ** The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x.
- Record
GHSA-vjph-xp4h-fpjw- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-552
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.8
The MSI installer for Python through 2.7.16 on Windows defaults to the C:\Python27 directory, which makes it easier for local users to deploy Trojan horse code. (This also affects old 3.x releases before 3.5.) NOTE: the vendor's position is that it is the user's responsibility to ensure C:\Python27 access control or choose a different directory, because backwards compatibility requires that C:\Python27 remain the default for 2.7.x
- Record
CVE-2019-13404- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-13404 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Python, published July 8, 2019. Its validity is disputed. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.26%, the 69th percentile.