---
title: "CVE-2012-4406\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-4406?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2012-4406

Publication date 22 October 2012

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Low**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**9.8 · Critical**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-4406?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

OpenStack Object Storage (swift) before 1.7.0 uses the loads function in
the pickle Python module unsafely when storing and loading metadata in
memcached, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a
crafted pickle object.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-4406?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| swift | 13.04 raring | Not affected |
| 12.10 quantal | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 1.4.8-0ubuntu2.2 |
| 11.10 oneiric | Ignored end of life |
| 11.04 natty | Ignored end of life |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-4406?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [jdstrand](https://launchpad.net/~jdstrand)

design problem which requires access to the private swift network.
Memcached portion is fixed upstream but adds a configuration option that
defaults to using pickle serialization since not all memcached servers
understand JSON.
Marking as 'low' since this requires privileged network access
(per upstream)

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| swift | * Upstream:   [e1ff51c](https://github.com/openstack/swift/commit/e1ff51c04554d51616d2845f92ab726cb0e5831a) * Upstream:   <https://review.openstack.org/#/c/12492/> |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

9.8 · Critical

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 9.8 · Critical |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-4406)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4406)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2012-4406)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2012-4406)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-1887-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1887-1)
+ OpenStack Swift vulnerabilities
+ 20 June 2013

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-4406>