---
title: "CVE-2018-20225\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-2018-20225?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-20225

Publication date 8 May 2020

Last updated 4 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Negligible**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-20225?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in pip (all versions) because it installs the
version with the highest version number, even if the user had intended to
obtain a private package from a private index. This only affects use of the
--extra-index-url option, and exploitation requires that the package does
not already exist in the public index (and thus the attacker can put the
package there with an arbitrary version number). NOTE: it has been reported
that this is intended functionality and the user is responsible for using
--extra-index-url securely

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-20225?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| python-pip | 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored |
| 19.10 eoan | Ignored end of life |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Ignored |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Ignored |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Ignored end of standard support |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Notes

---

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

This works as per the documentation, and this CVE has been
disputed as being a security issue. There is no fix for this
issue available fom pip developers. We will not be fixing this
issue in Ubuntu.

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.8 · High

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-20225)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20225)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-20225)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-20225)

### Other references

* <https://cowlicks.website/posts/arbitrary-code-execution-from-pips-extra-index-url.html>
* <https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/news/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20225>