CVE-2014-4616: Array index error in the scanstring function in the _json module in Python 2.7 through 3.5 and simplejson b...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an old Python JSON parsing flaw that could let an attacker read memory from a vulnerable process in certain contexts. The business risk depends on whether exposed services parse attacker-controlled JSON using affected Python or simplejson versions. The source bundle does not show known active exploitation. Likely exposure is legacy systems running Python 2.7 through 3.5 or simplejson before 2.6.1. Internet-facing APIs, workers, or integrations that parse untrusted JSON deserve priority review. The structured affected-product data is incomplete. Treat this as a legacy exposure cleanup item unless vulnerable Python JSON parsing is reachable from untrusted users. Prioritize internet-facing and multi-tenant services because memory disclosure can expose secrets, tokens, or sensitive data. Mitigation focus: Inventory Python runtimes and simplejson versions across production and build images.; Upgrade simplejson to 2.6.1 or later where present.; Apply relevant vendor Python security updates for supported distributions..

Prepared

Jun 12, 2026, 21:19 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.