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TI-2026-06034 Aliases CVE-2026-6879GHSA-77qw-3xm6-r2pp

Quadratic Behavior in xml.etree.ElementPath Index Predicates

Priority LOW 11CWE-407Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
High
User interaction
Passive
Attack complexity
High
Attack requirements
Present
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · Low
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-407.

Summary

`Element.findall()` and fully-consumed `Element.iterfind()` exhibit `O(n^2)` time complexity when using XPath index predicates (e.g. `[1]`, `[last()]`, `[last()-N]`) on XML documents with many same-tag siblings. `Element.find()` is only affected when the first match is near the end  of the sibling list, such as with `[last()]` or `[last()-N]`;  `.//item[1]` short-circuits after the first match.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00355 29th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed CPython (Python Software Foundation): 3.10.21, 3.11.16, 3.12.14 +3Red Hat: 7 advisories

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Python Software FoundationCPythonbefore 3.10.21; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.16; 3.12.0 to before 3.12.14; 3.13.0 to before 3.13.15; 3.14.0 to before 3.14.7; 3.15.0a1 to before 3.15.0rc13.10.21, 3.11.16, 3.12.14, 3.13.15, 3.14.7, 3.15.0rc1Patch availableCNA
  • CPython VendorPython Software Foundation Affected before 3.10.21; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.16; 3.12.0 to before 3.12.14; 3.13.0 to before 3.13.15; 3.14.0 to before 3.14.7; 3.15.0a1 to before 3.15.0rc1 Fixed in 3.10.21, 3.11.16, 3.12.14, 3.13.15, 3.14.7, 3.15.0rc1 Patch available CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——python-pillow
  • cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·python-pillow

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA CPython (Python Software Foundation) Fixed in 3.10.21, 3.11.16, 3.12.14, 3.13.15, 3.14.7, 3.15.0rc1

Red Hat 7 advisories

  • RHSA-2026:54554 Released 2026-08-13 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python3.13-3.13.15-1.hum1@aarch64, python3.13-3.13.15-1.hum1@src, python3.13-3.13.15-1.hum1@x86_64 +16
  • RHSA-2026:54534 Released 2026-08-13 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python-unversioned-command-3.14.7-1.hum1@noarch@public-hummingbird-aarch64-rpms, python-unversioned-command-3.14.7-1.hum1@noarch@public-hummingbird-x86_64-rpms, python3-3.14.7-1.hum1@aarch64 +28
  • RHSA-2026:48279 Released 2026-07-29 · Red Hat rating Low
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python3.12-3.12.13-3.8.hum1@aarch64, python3.12-3.12.13-3.8.hum1@src, python3.12-3.12.13-3.8.hum1@x86_64 +12
Show 4 more Red Hat advisories
  • RHSA-2026:48278 Released 2026-07-29 · Red Hat rating Low
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python3.13-3.13.14-1.7.hum1@aarch64, python3.13-3.13.14-1.7.hum1@src, python3.13-3.13.14-1.7.hum1@x86_64 +16
  • RHSA-2026:48253 Released 2026-07-29 · Red Hat rating Low
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python3.11-3.11.15-5.5.hum1@aarch64, python3.11-3.11.15-5.5.hum1@src, python3.11-3.11.15-5.5.hum1@x86_64 +12
  • RHSA-2026:48246 Released 2026-07-29 · Red Hat rating Low
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python3.10-3.10.20-3.2.hum1@aarch64, python3.10-3.10.20-3.2.hum1@src, python3.10-3.10.20-3.2.hum1@x86_64 +12
  • RHSA-2026:48238 Released 2026-07-29 · Red Hat rating Low
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images python-unversioned-command-3.14.6-2.2.hum1@noarch@public-hummingbird-aarch64-rpms, python-unversioned-command-3.14.6-2.2.hum1@noarch@public-hummingbird-x86_64-rpms, python3-3.14.6-2.2.hum1@aarch64 +28

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Hardened ImagesFixed RHSA-2026:48238, RHSA-2026:48246, RHSA-2026:48253, RHSA-2026:48278, RHSA-2026:48279

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-6879
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-77qw-3xm6-r2pp

References

Patch 8

Advisory 1

Other 1

  • TI-2024-07037 Quadratic complexity parsing cookies with backslashes CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-11791 Bypass extraction filter to modify file metadata outside extraction directory CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
  • TI-2024-00411 Quoted zip-bomb protection for zipfile CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.2
  • TI-2026-13296 `HTTPPasswordMgr` can send saved HTTPS credentials via HTTP because of incorrect scheme matching CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.0
  • TI-2024-06422 Email header injection due to unquoted newlines CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
  • TI-2026-04606 Possible to hijack modules in current working directory CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.6
See all 83 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences