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CVE-2025-12781 Detail

Description

When passing data to the b64decode(), standard_b64decode(), and urlsafe_b64decode() functions in the "base64" module the characters "+/" will always be accepted, regardless of the value of "altchars" parameter, typically used to establish an "alternative base64 alphabet" such as the URL safe alphabet. This behavior matches what is recommended in earlier base64 RFCs, but newer RFCs now recommend either dropping characters outside the specified base64 alphabet or raising an error. The old behavior has the possibility of causing data integrity issues. This behavior can only be insecure if your application uses an alternate base64 alphabet (without "+/"). If your application does not use the "altchars" parameter or the urlsafe_b64decode() function, then your application does not use an alternative base64 alphabet. The attached patches DOES NOT make the base64-decode behavior raise an error, as this would be a change in behavior and break existing programs. Instead, the patch deprecates the behavior which will be replaced with the newly recommended behavior in a future version of Python. Users are recommended to mitigate by verifying user-controlled inputs match the base64 alphabet they are expecting or verify that their application would not be affected if the b64decode() functions accepted "+" or "/" outside of altchars.


Metrics

NVD enrichment efforts reference publicly available information to associate vector strings. CVSS information contributed by other sources is also displayed.
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:

NIST CVSS score
NIST: NVD
N/A
NVD assessment not yet provided.

Nist CVSS score does not match with CNA score
CNA:  Python Software Foundation
CVSS-B 6.3 MEDIUM
Vector:  CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

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URL Source(s) Tag(s)
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/13360efd385d1a7d0659beba03787ea3d063ef9b Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/1be80bec7960f5ccd059e75f3dfbd45fca302947 Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/9060b4abbe475591b6230b23c2afefeff26fcca5 Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/e95e783dff443b68e8179fdb57737025bf02ba76 Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/fd17ee026fa9b67f6288cbafe374a3e479fe03a5 Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/125346 Python Software Foundation
https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/141128 Python Software Foundation
https://mail.python.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/KRI7GC6S27YV5NJ4FPDALS2WI5ENAFJ6/ Python Software Foundation

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-ID CWE Name Source
CWE-704 Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast CISA-ADP  

Change History

3 change records found show changes

Quick Info

CVE Dictionary Entry:
CVE-2025-12781
NVD Published Date:
01/21/2026
NVD Last Modified:
01/22/2026
Source:
Python Software Foundation