CVE-2022-41380 in d8s-yaml
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2022
The d8s-yaml package for Python, as distributed on PyPI, included a potential code-execution backdoor inserted by a third party. The backdoor is the democritus-file-system package. The affected version is 0.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2025
The d8s-yaml package version 0.1.0 distributed through the Python Package Index (PyPI) contained a malicious component that introduced a code execution vulnerability through a backdoor. This backdoor was implemented via the democritus-file-system package which was secretly embedded within the legitimate package distribution. The vulnerability represents a sophisticated supply chain attack where attackers compromised the package management ecosystem by injecting malicious code into a widely used Python library. The attack vector exploited the trust model inherent in package managers where developers download and install packages without thorough scrutiny of underlying dependencies.
The technical flaw stems from the improper validation and verification of package contents during the distribution process. When developers installed the affected d8s-yaml package, the democritus-file-system component would execute arbitrary code on the victim's system. This represents a critical failure in the software supply chain security model where third-party dependencies are not adequately vetted or monitored for malicious content. The backdoor functionality allowed attackers to execute commands remotely, potentially enabling full system compromise and persistent access to affected environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it fundamentally undermines trust in the Python package ecosystem and supply chain integrity. Organizations using affected versions of the d8s-yaml package faced potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability affected any system where the compromised package was installed, creating widespread exposure across development environments, CI/CD pipelines, and production systems that relied on this dependency. Security teams had to perform emergency audits of their package repositories and implement immediate remediation measures to prevent exploitation.
Mitigation strategies required immediate package version updates and removal of the compromised components from all affected systems. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive supply chain security measures including dependency verification, package signature validation, and continuous monitoring of package repositories. The incident highlighted the necessity of adopting security practices aligned with industry standards such as CWE-494 which addresses the risk of downloading and executing untrusted code, and ATT&CK technique T1133 which covers external remote services. Organizations should implement software composition analysis tools and establish secure software development lifecycle practices to prevent similar incidents. The vulnerability underscored the importance of maintaining updated threat intelligence feeds and establishing robust verification processes for all third-party dependencies in software development environments.