An exploitable vulnerability exists in the YAML loading functionality of util.py in OwlMixin before 2.0.0a12. A "Load YAML" string or file (aka load_yaml or load_yamlf) can execute arbitrary Python commands resulting in command execution because load is used where safe_load should have been used. An attacker can insert Python into loaded YAML to trigger this vulnerability.

References

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16618
• tadashi-aikawa/owlmixin#12
• tadashi-aikawa/owlmixin@5d05753
• GHSA-ccmq-qvcp-5mrm
• https://joel-malwarebenchmark.github.io/blog/2017/11/08/cve-2017-16618-convert-through-owlmixin/