CVE-2024-3220
published 2025-02-14CVE-2024-3220: There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users…
PriorityP412low2.3CVSS 4.0
AVNACLATPPRLUINVCNVILVALSCNSINSANEXCRXIRXARXMAVXMACXMATXMPRXMUIXMVCXMVIXMVAXMSCXMSIXMSAXSXAUXRXVXREXUX
EPSS
0.50%
39.6th percentile
There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users can create invalid files to cause MemoryError to be raised on Python runtime startup or have file extensions be interpreted as the incorrect file type.
This defect is caused by the default locations of Linux and macOS platforms (such as “/etc/mime.types”) also being used on Windows, where they are user-writable locations (“C:\etc\mime.types”).
To work-around this issue a user can call mimetypes.init() with an empty list (“[]”) on Windows platforms to avoid using the default list of known file locations.
Affected
7 ranges
| Vendor | Product | Version range | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| debian | python3.11 | — | — |
| debian | python3.13 | — | — |
| debian | python3.9 | — | — |
| msrc | azl3_python3_3.12.9-1_on_azure_linux_3.0 | — | — |
| msrc | azl3_tensorflow_2.16.1-9_on_azure_linux_3.0 | — | — |
| msrc | cbl2_python3_3.9.19-13_on_cbl_mariner_2.0 | — | — |
| python_software_foundation | cpython | < 3.14.0 | 3.14.0 |
CVSS provenance
nvdv4.02.3LOWCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
osv2.3LOW
vendor_debian2.3LOW
vendor_msrc2.3LOW
vendor_redhat2.3LOW
Stop checking back — get the weekly exploitation signal.
Every Monday: what got weaponized or added to CISA KEV in the last seven days — each CVE cross-linked to its PoC, Nuclei template, and detection rule. Free, one email a week, unsubscribe in one click.
Red Hat
python: Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
vendor_redhat·2025-02-14·CVSS 2.3
CVE-2024-3220 [LOW] CWE-426 python: Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
python: Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users can create invalid files to cause MemoryError to be raised on Python runtime startup or have file extensions be interpreted as the incorrect file type.
This defect is caused by the default locations of Linux and macOS platforms (such as “/etc/mime.types”) also being used on Windows, where they are user-writable locations (“C:\etc\mime.types”).
To work-around this issue a user can call mimetypes.init() with an empty list (“[]”) on Windows platforms to avoid using the default list of known file locations.
A flaw was found in the mimetypes standard library module for Python. O
Microsoft
Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
vendor_msrc·2025-02-11·CVSS 2.3
CVE-2024-3220 [LOW] CWE-426 Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
Default mimetype known files writeable on Windows
FAQ: Is Azure Linux the only Microsoft product that includes this open-source library and is therefore potentially affected by this vulnerability?
One of the main benefits to our customers who choose to use the Azure Linux distro is the commitment to keep it up to date with the most recent and most secure versions of the open source libraries with which the distro is composed. Microsoft is committed to transparency in this work which is why we began publishing CSAF/VEX in October 2025. See this blog post for more information. If impact to additional products is identified, we will update the CVE to reflect this.
Mariner: Mariner
PSF: PSF
Customer Action Required: Yes
Debian
CVE-2024-3220: python3.11 - There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Wi...
vendor_debian·2024·CVSS 2.3
CVE-2024-3220 [LOW] CVE-2024-3220: python3.11 - There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Wi...
There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users can create invalid files to cause MemoryError to be raised on Python runtime startup or have file extensions be interpreted as the incorrect file type. This defect is caused by the default locations of Linux and macOS platforms (such as “/etc/mime.types”) also being used on Windows, where they are user-writable locations (“C:\etc\mime.types”). To work-around this issue a user can call mimetypes.init() with an empty list (“[]”) on Windows platforms to avoid using the default list of known file locations.
Scope: local
bookworm: resolved
OSV
CVE-2024-3220: There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning ot
osv·2025-02-14·CVSS 2.3
CVE-2024-3220 [LOW] CVE-2024-3220: There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning ot
There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users can create invalid files to cause MemoryError to be raised on Python runtime startup or have file extensions be interpreted as the incorrect file type. This defect is caused by the default locations of Linux and macOS platforms (such as “/etc/mime.types”) also being used on Windows, where they are user-writable locations (“C:\etc\mime.types”). To work-around this issue a user can call mimetypes.init() with an empty list (“[]”) on Windows platforms to avoid using the default list of known file locations.
GHSA
GHSA-74p9-4v44-wwx5: There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning ot
ghsa_unreviewed·2025-02-14
CVE-2024-3220 [LOW] CWE-426 GHSA-74p9-4v44-wwx5: There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning ot
There is a defect in the CPython standard library module “mimetypes” where on Windows the default list of known file locations are writable meaning other users can create invalid files to cause MemoryError to be raised on Python runtime startup or have file extensions be interpreted as the incorrect file type.
This defect is caused by the default locations of Linux and macOS platforms (such as “/etc/mime.types”) also being used on Windows, where they are user-writable locations (“C:\etc\mime.types”).
To work-around this issue a user can call mimetypes.init() with an empty list (“[]”) on Windows platforms to avoid using the default list of known file locations.
No detection rules found.
No public exploits indexed.
2025-02-14
Published