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CVE-2021-32811

Remote Code Execution via Script (Python) objects under Python 3

7.5 HighFix available

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

2.30%Up 0.4 points since Aug 3, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.5

Remote Code Execution via Script (Python) objects under Python 3

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
CVE-2021-32811
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-915
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-34766 7.5

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
EUVD-2021-34766
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g4gq-j4p2-j8fr 7.7

Remote Code Execution via Script (Python) objects under Python 3

Impact

Background: The optional add-on package Products.PythonScripts adds Script (Python) to the list of content items a user can add to the Zope object database. Inside these scripts users can write Python code that is executed when rendered through the web. The code environment in these script objects is limited, it relies on the RestrictedPython package to provide a "safe" subset of Python instructions as well as the AccessControl package that defines security policies for execution in the context of a Zope application.

Recently the AccessControl package was updated to fix a remote code execution security issue. A link to the security advisory is provided in the References section below. The bug tightens the AccessControl security policies for Zope by blocking access to unsafe classes inside the Python string module.

You are only affected if the following are true:

  • You use Python 3 for your Zope deployment (Zope 4 on Python 2 is not affected)
  • You run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3
  • You have installed the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package

By default, you need to have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web - which would be a very unusual configuration to begin with - are at risk.

Patches

The problem has been fixed in AccessControl versions 4.3 and 5.2. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 now require these new AccessControl releases.

Workarounds

A site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

References

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-g4gq-j4p2-j8fr
CVSS 4.0
7.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-915, CWE-1321
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.5

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
CVE-2021-32811
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 3.1
7.2 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.5 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-915, CWE-1321
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.2

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
CVE-2021-32811
CVSS 3.1
7.2 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g4gq-j4p2-j8fr 7.7

Remote Code Execution via Script (Python) objects under Python 3

Impact

Background: The optional add-on package Products.PythonScripts adds Script (Python) to the list of content items a user can add to the Zope object database. Inside these scripts users can write Python code that is executed when rendered through the web. The code environment in these script objects is limited, it relies on the RestrictedPython package to provide a "safe" subset of Python instructions as well as the AccessControl package that defines security policies for execution in the context of a Zope application.

Recently the AccessControl package was updated to fix a remote code execution security issue. A link to the security advisory is provided in the References section below. The bug tightens the AccessControl security policies for Zope by blocking access to unsafe classes inside the Python string module.

You are only affected if the following are true:

  • You use Python 3 for your Zope deployment (Zope 4 on Python 2 is not affected)
  • You run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3
  • You have installed the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package

By default, you need to have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web - which would be a very unusual configuration to begin with - are at risk.

Patches

The problem has been fixed in AccessControl versions 4.3 and 5.2. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 now require these new AccessControl releases.

Workarounds

A site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

References

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-g4gq-j4p2-j8fr
CVSS 4.0
7.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-1321, CWE-915
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-32811 7.5

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32811
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 3.1
7.2 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2021-368 No score

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
PYSEC-2021-368
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2021-370 No score

Zope is an open-source web application server. Zope versions prior to versions 4.6.3 and 5.3 have a remote code execution security issue. In order to be affected, one must use Python 3 for one's Zope deployment, run Zope 4 below version 4.6.3 or Zope 5 below version 5.3, and have the optional Products.PythonScripts add-on package installed. By default, one must have the admin-level Zope "Manager" role to add or edit Script (Python) objects through the web. Only sites that allow untrusted users to add/edit these scripts through the web are at risk. Zope releases 4.6.3 and 5.3 are not vulnerable. As a workaround, a site administrator can restrict adding/editing Script (Python) objects through the web using the standard Zope user/role permission mechanisms. Untrusted users should not be assigned the Zope Manager role and adding/editing these scripts through the web should be restricted to trusted users only. This is the default configuration in Zope.

Record
PYSEC-2021-370
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
zope
PyPI
4.0 up to 4.6.3
4.6.3
zope
PyPI
5.0 up to 5.3
5.3
zope
PyPI
4.0 up to 4.6.3, plus listed versions
4.14.1.14.1.24.1.34.2
Show 16 moreShow less
4.2.14.34.44.4.14.4.24.4.34.4.44.54.5.14.5.24.5.34.5.44.5.54.64.6.14.6.2
4.6.3
zope
PyPI
5.0 up to 5.3, plus listed versions
5.15.1.15.1.25.25.2.1
5.3
zope
PyPI
4.0 up to 4.6.3, 5.0 up to 5.3, plus listed versions
4.14.1.14.1.24.1.34.2
Show 39 moreShow less
4.2.14.34.44.4.14.4.24.4.34.4.44.54.5.14.5.24.5.34.5.44.5.54.64.6.14.6.25.15.1.15.1.25.25.2.15.0a25.0a14.0b104.0b94.0b84.0b74.0b64.0b54.0b44.0b34.0b24.0b14.0a64.0a54.0a44.0a34.0a24.0a1
4.6.35.3
accesscontrol
PyPI
4.0 up to 4.3, 5.0 up to 5.2, plus listed versions
4.14.25.1
4.35.2
zope2.13
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
2.13.22-1ubuntu1
None known
zope2.13
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
2.13.22-1ubuntu1
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-32811 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Zope, published August 2, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.30%, the 83rd percentile. Fixed in zope 4.6.3.

References

Show 4 moreShow less
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