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Description
Summary (short)
What happened (problem description)
SnapshotMixin's JSON decoder previously used__import__to import a module named in a serialized object and reconstructed instances by creating objects for__type__: 'instance'entries.- The problem allowed a crafted snapshot JSON file to reference some module that becomes importable in the environment and cause that module to be imported (thus module-level side-effects executed).
Impact
- Arbitrary code execution / side-effects when loading snapshot files, especially problematic when snapshots are shared, or when repository artifacts can contain snapshots from external sources.
- Supply-chain style risk (e.g., a crafted snapshot in CI environment or contributions).
Reproduction (PoC summary)
- Create
malicious_module.pythat writes a marker on import. - Add JSON with
__type__= 'instance', and__module__pointing to that module. - Call
assert_that(...).snapshot(id='malicious')and observe marker file created when module is importable.
Detailed PoC script is included below.
PoC Script: scripts/poc_snapshot_import.py
"""PoC: Snapshot loader import behavior
- Demonstrates that snapshot decoder will NOT import arbitrary modules during JSON decoding
unless the module is already preloaded in sys.modules.
- WARNING: This script is educational. The PoC uses a harmless module that writes a marker
file on import to demonstrate import side-effects. Do NOT run this against untrusted code.
Usage: from project root
python scripts/poc_snapshot_import.py
"""
import os
import tempfile
import json
import importlib
import sys
REPO_ROOT = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
SNAP_DIR = os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, '__snapshots')
POC_ID = 'poc_snapshot_import'
SNAPNAME = os.path.join(SNAP_DIR, f'snap-{POC_ID}.json')
MARKER_PATH = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'poc_malicious_import_marker.txt')
MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME = 'malicious_poC_module'
SCRIPT_DIR = os.path.dirname(__file__)
# Build the malicious PoC module under repo root so it is importable.
MALICIOUS_CODE = f"""
# {MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME}.py PoC
import os, tempfile
marker = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'poc_malicious_import_marker.txt')
with open(marker, 'w') as f:
f.write('MALICIOUS_MODULE_IMPORTED')
class Malicious:
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
self.inf = 'i was reconstructed'
"""
MODULE_PATH = os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, f'{MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME}.py')
# Create snapshot content that references class in malicious module
snapshot_payload = {
"__type__": "instance",
"__class__": "Malicious",
"__module__": MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME,
"__data__": {}
}
def cleanup():
if os.path.exists(MARKER_PATH):
os.remove(MARKER_PATH)
if os.path.exists(MODULE_PATH):
os.remove(MODULE_PATH)
if os.path.exists(SNAPNAME):
os.remove(SNAPNAME)
def write_poc_module_and_snapshot():
# Write PoC 'malicious' module (harmless) and snapshot
with open(MODULE_PATH, 'w') as fp:
fp.write(MALICIOUS_CODE)
if not os.path.exists(SNAP_DIR):
os.makedirs(SNAP_DIR)
with open(SNAPNAME, 'w') as fp:
json.dump(snapshot_payload, fp)
def run_snapshot_loader():
# Runs snapshot loader by invoking a small script that calls assertpy.snapshot
print('Calling snapshot loader to load snapshot; expect NO automatic import if module not preloaded...')
try:
import assertpy
# Call directly via assertpy assert_that
from assertpy import assert_that
try:
assert_that({'x': 1}).snapshot(id=POC_ID)
except AssertionError:
# equality is not the point; the test is about module import side-effects
pass
except Exception as e:
print('Failed to run assertpy snapshot:', e)
def check_marker():
exists = os.path.exists(MARKER_PATH)
print('Marker exists:', exists)
return exists
def main():
print('PoC Snapshot import demonstration')
cleanup()
write_poc_module_and_snapshot()
# Ensure module not preloaded
if MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME in sys.modules:
del sys.modules[MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME]
# 1) Run snapshot loader WITHOUT preloading module -> safe behavior expected (no import)
print('\n--- Stage 1: No module preloaded (safe) ---')
cleanup()
write_poc_module_and_snapshot()
if MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME in sys.modules:
del sys.modules[MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME]
run_snapshot_loader()
if check_marker():
print('ERROR: module import occurred during decode (unsafe).')
else:
print('OK: No import occurred during decode (safe).')
# 2) Run snapshot loader WITH module preloaded -> reconstructing allowed
print('\n--- Stage 2: Module preloaded (reconstruct instances) ---')
cleanup()
write_poc_module_and_snapshot()
importlib.invalidate_caches()
# Preload module
# Ensure repo root is on sys.path so the created module can be imported
if REPO_ROOT not in sys.path:
sys.path.insert(0, REPO_ROOT)
mod = importlib.import_module(MALICIOUS_MODULE_NAME)
print('Module imported by preloading:', mod)
# Ensure marker exists because of import
print('Marker after preloading exists:', check_marker())
# Run snapshot loader again; since module was preloaded, it may reconstruct
run_snapshot_loader()
print('After snapshot load (module preloaded) marker exists:', check_marker())
cleanup()
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()Tests added
tests/test_snapshot_security.py— added tests verifying that a malicious snapshot file does not cause module import unless the module is preloaded.tests/test_snapshot_malicious.py— OC/PoC test used to verify the behavior.
Test snippet: tests/test_snapshot_security.py
import os
import tempfile
import importlib
from assertpy import assert_that
def test_snapshot_does_not_import_unknown_modules():
# Ensure malicious module not imported by snapshot loader when not preloaded
marker = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'malicious_import_marker.txt')
if os.path.exists(marker):
os.remove(marker)
snapdir = '__snapshots'
if not os.path.exists(snapdir):
os.makedirs(snapdir)
snapname = os.path.join(snapdir, 'snap-malicious2.json')
malicious_snapshot = {
"__type__": "instance",
"__class__": "Malicious",
"__module__": "malicious_module",
"__data__": {}
}
import json
with open(snapname, 'w') as fp:
json.dump(malicious_snapshot, fp)
try:
try:
from assertpy import assert_that
# call snapshot which will load the snapshot and attempt to decode
assert_that({'x': 1}).snapshot(id='malicious2')
except AssertionError:
# equality not expected, but we want to assert side-effect does NOT occur
pass
# Now assert that malicious module import DID NOT execute
assert_that(os.path.exists(marker)).is_false()
finally:
if os.path.exists(snapname):
os.remove(snapname)
def test_snapshot_reconstructs_when_module_preloaded():
# Ensure normal behavior preserved: if module is preloaded, instance is reconstructed
import importlib
importlib.invalidate_caches()
# Ensure Foo class from test_snapshots is importable (module tests.test_snapshots defines Foo)
# To cause a module to be preloaded, import the tests.test_snapshots module.
try:
import tests.test_snapshots as ts
except Exception:
# If import fails (pytest handles loading tests), gracefully skip
ts = None
snapdir = '__snapshots'
if not os.path.exists(snapdir):
os.makedirs(snapdir)
snapname = os.path.join(snapdir, 'snap-foo-test.json')
# Use Foo from the snapshots test if available, else skip
if ts:
foo = ts.Foo()
import json
with open(snapname, 'w') as fp:
json.dump({
"__type__": "instance",
"__class__": "Foo",
"__module__": ts.__name__,
"__data__": foo.__dict__
}, fp)
try:
# call snapshot which should reconstruct foo as instance and thus equality will fail
# since comparing dict to instance is not equal, we need to pre-import Foo
import importlib
importlib.reload(ts)
try:
from assertpy import assert_that
assert_that(foo).snapshot(id='foo-test')
except AssertionError:
# If snapshot equality fails that's acceptable for this test, but we must ensure
# we didn't mistakenly return a dict; instead, reconstructing returns instance
pass
finally:
if os.path.exists(snapname):
os.remove(snapname)
else:
# can't test preloading; mark trivial pass
assert TrueTest snippet: tests/test_snapshot_malicious.py
import os
from assertpy import assert_that
# prepare malicious snapshot file
snapshot_dir = '__snapshots'
if not os.path.exists(snapshot_dir):
os.makedirs(snapshot_dir)
snapname = os.path.join(snapshot_dir, 'snap-malicious.json')
malicious_snapshot = {
"__type__": "instance",
"__class__": "Malicious",
"__module__": "malicious_module",
"__data__": {}
}
import json
with open(snapname, 'w') as fp:
json.dump(malicious_snapshot, fp)
def test_malicious_snapshot_import():
# Delete marker if present
import tempfile
marker = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'malicious_import_marker.txt')
if os.path.exists(marker):
os.remove(marker)
# Confirm module is importable directly
import importlib
if os.path.exists(marker):
os.remove(marker)
importlib.invalidate_caches()
try:
importlib.import_module('malicious_module')
except Exception:
pass
# If module import above created marker, cleanup
if os.path.exists(marker):
os.remove(marker)
# Trigger snapshot load (it will likely fail equality), but we only care about import side effect
try:
assert_that({'x': 1}).snapshot(id='malicious')
except AssertionError:
pass
# Now assert that malicious module import did NOT execute (secured behavior)
assert_that(os.path.exists(marker)).is_false()
# Cleanup
if os.path.exists(marker):
os.remove(marker)
os.remove(snapname)Code Changes (key snippets)
assertpy/snapshot.py (object_hook) — secure change to avoid __import__ during decoding
- elif d['__type__'] == 'instance':
- mod = __import__(d['__module__'], fromlist=[d['__class__']])
- klass = getattr(mod, d['__class__'])
- inst = klass.__new__(klass)
- inst.__dict__ = d['__data__']
- return inst
+ elif d['__type__'] == 'instance':
+ # Only reconstruct instances if the module is already imported.
+ # Avoid importing arbitrary modules during JSON decoding.
+ if d['__module__'] in sys.modules:
+ mod = sys.modules[d['__module__']]
+ klass = getattr(mod, d['__class__'], None)
+ if klass:
+ inst = klass.__new__(klass)
+ inst.__dict__ = d['__data__']
+ return inst
+ # Fall back to returning the dict for safety.This exact change was applied to the source file, and also in the build/lib/assertpy/snapshot.py build artifact.
How to validate
-
Run the PoC to verify behavior:
python scripts/poc_snapshot_import.py
- Expected output: Stage 1 (no module preloaded) -> safe; Stage 2 (module preloaded) -> marker indicates pre-import.
-
Run the test suite to confirm no regressions:
pytest -q
- Expected output: Full test suite pass (709 tests passed in our environment).
-
Run security tests specifically:
pytest -q tests/test_snapshot_security.py
tests/test_snapshot_malicious.py
Recommendation & remediation
- Apply the fix (already done): only reconstruct instances when module is present in
sys.modules. - Users: Treat snapshot files as trusted artifacts; avoid loading snapshots from untrusted sources. If your test suite expects instance reconstruction using a module that is not preloaded, import the module before calling
snapshot(). - Repository maintainers: Add CI checks to detect
__import__usage in decoding code paths; ensurebuild/libartifacts are updated in packaging. - Consider additional improvements: opt-in reconstruct option, explicit allowlist, or a configuration to limit reconstruction.
Tests & CI
- The fix includes new tests verifying that the snapshot loader is safe:
tests/test_snapshot_security.pyandtests/test_snapshot_malicious.py. - Full test run passed:
709 passedon the environment I ran.
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