CVE-2013-4251

SciPy creates insecure temporary directories

7.8 HighFix available

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

0.43%Down 0.9 points since Feb 4, 2022

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.8

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: CVE-2013-4251
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 4.6 MediumAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness: CWE-269
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: CVE-2013-4251
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2019-0129 No score

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: EUVD-2019-0129
Updated: 2026-11-03

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-xp76-357g-9wqq 7.8

SciPy creates insecure temporary directories

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: GHSA-xp76-357g-9wqq
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-269
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVGHSA-xp76-357g-9wqq 7.8

SciPy creates insecure temporary directories

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: GHSA-xp76-357g-9wqq
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-269
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2013-4251 7.8

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2013-4251
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVMGASA-2013-0330 No score

Updated python-scipy packages fix a security vulnerability and missing deps

Updated python-scipy package fixes security vulnerability:

scipy.weave will use /tmp/[username] as persistent storage (cache), but it does not check whether or not this directory already exists, does not check whether it is a directory or a symlink, and also does not verify permissions or ownership, which could allow someone to place code in this directory that would be executed as the user running scipy.weave (CVE-2013-4251).

The update also adds some missing dependencies.

Record: MGASA-2013-0330
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVPYSEC-2019-156 No score

The scipy.weave component in SciPy before 0.12.1 creates insecure temporary directories.

Record: PYSEC-2019-156
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`scipy` PyPI	before 0.12.1	0.12.1
`python-scipy` Debian:6.0	before 0.7.2+dfsg1-1+deb6u1, plus listed versions 0.7.2+dfsg1-1	0.7.2+dfsg1-1+deb6u1
`scipy` PyPI	before 0.12.1, plus listed versions 0.10.00.10.10.11.00.12.00.4.4 Show 6 moreShow less 0.5.20.6.00.7.00.7.20.8.00.9.0	0.12.1
`python-scipy` Mageia:2	before 0.9.0-3.4.mga2	0.9.0-3.4.mga2
`python-scipy` Mageia:3	before 0.9.0-7.3.mga3	0.9.0-7.3.mga3
`scipy` PyPI	before 0.12.1, plus listed versions 0.10.00.10.10.11.00.12.00.4.4 Show 12 moreShow less 0.5.20.6.00.7.00.7.20.8.00.9.0v0.12.0v0.12.0rc1v0.12.0b1v0.1.2v0.1.1v0.1.0	0.12.1

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 3, 2026	affected
Nov 3, 2026	aliases	EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2013-4251 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Scipy, published November 20, 2013. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.43%, the 37th percentile. Fixed in scipy 0.12.1.

References

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