python · vstinner · Mar 6, 2026 · Mar 6, 2026
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_wsgiref.py b/Lib/test/test_wsgiref.py
@@ -855,6 +855,25 @@ def write(self, b):
        self.assertIsNotNone(h.status)
        self.assertIsNotNone(h.environ)

+    def testRaisesControlCharacters(self):
+        for c0 in control_characters_c0():
+            with self.subTest(c0):
+                base = BaseHandler()
+                with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                    base.start_response(c0, [('x', 'y')])
+
+                base = BaseHandler()
+                with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                    base.start_response('200 OK', [(c0, 'y')])
+
+                # HTAB (\x09) is allowed in header values, but not in names.
+                base = BaseHandler()
+                if c0 != "\t":
+                    with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                        base.start_response('200 OK', [('x', c0)])
+                else:
+                    base.start_response('200 OK', [('x', c0)])
+

 if __name__ == "__main__":
    unittest.main()
diff --git a/Lib/wsgiref/handlers.py b/Lib/wsgiref/handlers.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Base classes for server/gateway implementations"""

 from .util import FileWrapper, guess_scheme, is_hop_by_hop
-from .headers import Headers
+from .headers import Headers, _name_disallowed_re

 import sys, os, time

@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ def start_response(self, status, headers,exc_info=None):
        return self.write

    def _validate_status(self, status):
+        if _name_disallowed_re.search(status):
+            raise ValueError("Control characters are not allowed in status")
        if len(status) < 4:
            raise AssertionError("Status must be at least 4 characters")
        if not status[:3].isdigit():

diff --git a/Misc/ACKS b/Misc/ACKS
@@ -1071,6 +1071,7 @@ Wolfgang Langner
 Detlef Lannert
 Rémi Lapeyre
 Soren Larsen
+Seth Michael Larson
 Amos Latteier
 Keenan Lau
 Piers Lauder

diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Security/2026-01-31-21-56-54.gh-issue-144370.fp9m8t.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Security/2026-01-31-21-56-54.gh-issue-144370.fp9m8t.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Disallow usage of control characters in status in :mod:`wsgiref.handlers` to prevent HTTP header injections.
+Patch by Benedikt Johannes.
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
		Disallow usage of control characters in status in :mod:`wsgiref.handlers` to prevent HTTP header injections.
		Patch by Benedikt Johannes.