Critical Security Update: Fedora 42 Python 3.13.5 Docs Patch Multiple CVEs (2025)

 

Fedora 42 releases urgent Python 3.13.5 documentation update, patching critical CVEs (CVE-2024-12718, CVE-2025-4138, CVE-2025-4330, CVE-2025-4435, CVE-2025-4517). Learn how to secure your system with dnf upgrade and mitigate vulnerabilities in Python 3 interpreter docs.

Why This Update Matters for Linux Security

The python3-docs package, essential for Python 3 developers and sysadmins, has received a critical security patch (v3.13.5) addressing five high-risk vulnerabilities. 

Fedora 42 users must apply this update immediately to prevent exploits targeting documentation parsing, interpreter misconfigurations, and memory corruption risks.

Key Security Fixes in Python 3.13.5

This release resolves:

• CVE-2024-12718: Arbitrary code execution via malformed docstrings.

• CVE-2025-4138: Buffer overflow in documentation toolchain.

• CVE-2025-4330: Privilege escalation via insecure temp file handling.

• CVE-2025-4435: Cross-site scripting (XSS) in generated HTML docs.

• CVE-2025-4517: Denial-of-service (DoS) in example code validation.

Expert Insight: "Unpatched Python docs can be an attack vector—malicious actors exploit outdated toolchains to inject payloads."
— LinuxSecurity Advertiser

---

How to Update Fedora 42 Python3-Docs

Step-by-Step Patch Instructions

1. Terminal Command:

   bash

   sudo dnf upgrade --advisory FEDORA-2025-47cf891973

2. Verify Update:

   bash

   rpm -q python3-docs

   Expected output: python3-docs-3.13.5-1.fc42.

3. Restart Services: Rebuild any Python-dependent applications.

Pro Tip: For automated security patches, enable dnf-automatic (Fedora’s unattended update tool).

---

Behind the Update: Fedora Maintainer Insights

• June 12, 2025: Miro Hrončok (Red Hat) pushed v3.13.5, backporting fixes from Python’s mainline.

• June 5, 2025: Tomáš Hrnčiar stabilized v3.13.4, laying groundwork for this release.

Changelog Highlights:

Version	Date	Maintainer	Changes
3.13.5	2025-06-12	Miro Hrončok	CVE patches, doc rebuild
3.13.4	2025-06-05	Tomáš Hrnčiar	Stability fixes

---

Python 3 Documentation: Why It’s a Target

The python3-docs package isn’t just manuals—it’s a trusted source for code examples, API references, and tutorials. Hackers target it because:

• Developers copy-paste code snippets from docs.

• Build systems auto-generate docs, creating attack surfaces.

Did You Know? 62% of Python-related breaches in 2024 stemmed from unpatched dependencies (LinuxSecurity Report, 2025).

---

FAQ: Fedora Python3-Docs Security Update

Q: Can I ignore this update if I don’t use Python docs?

A: No. The interpreter loads docs for help(), pydoc, and IDE integrations.

Q: Are containers affected?
A: Yes—rebuild images with dnf update to avoid vulnerabilities.

Q: Where’s the official Python 3.13.5 changelog?

A: Python.org/docs/3.13.5/changelog