CVE-2025-12695
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in DSPy's PythonInterpreter class allows attackers to bypass sandbox restrictions and read arbitrary files when users build AI agents that process untrusted input. It affects any application using DSPy's PythonInterpreter with insufficient input validation. The risk is highest when AI agents are exposed to external user input.
💻 Affected Systems
- DSPy
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise through sensitive file exfiltration including credentials, configuration files, and private data, potentially leading to lateral movement.
Likely Case
Unauthorized reading of sensitive files in the application's context, potentially exposing API keys, database credentials, or user data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and restricted file system permissions, though some data exposure may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user input to reach the PythonInterpreter class. The vulnerability is well-documented in the research report.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check DSPy GitHub repository for latest patched version
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/stanfordnlp/dspy/security/advisories
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current DSPy version
2. Update to latest patched version via pip: pip install --upgrade dspy
3. Restart all affected applications
4. Verify the fix is applied
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable PythonInterpreter
allRemove or disable PythonInterpreter usage in AI agent configurations
# Modify agent configuration to use alternative execution methods
# Remove PythonInterpreter imports and usage
Input Validation
allImplement strict input validation and sanitization before passing to PythonInterpreter
# Add input validation layer
# Sanitize all user inputs
# Implement allow-list for acceptable inputs
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate DSPy instances
- Apply file system permissions to restrict access to sensitive files
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if application uses DSPy PythonInterpreter class with user input. Review code for PythonInterpreter imports and usage patterns.Check Version:
python -c "import dspy; print(dspy.__version__)"Verify Fix Applied:
Test that file read attempts through PythonInterpreter are properly blocked. Verify updated version is running.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file access patterns from DSPy processes
- Multiple failed file read attempts
- PythonInterpreter execution logs showing suspicious file paths
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound data transfers from DSPy instances
- Connections to unexpected external endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="dspy" AND (event="file_access" OR event="python_execution") AND (file_path CONTAINS "/etc/" OR file_path CONTAINS "/home/" OR file_path CONTAINS sensitive_patterns)