Python’s popularity and accessibility make it an attractive target for malicious actors. Its widespread presence on developer and server machines means attackers often find it readily available for misuse.
A key security risk is Python’s ability to easily execute arbitrary code provided as data, which is a common mechanism in various injection and remote code execution (RCE) attacks.
- Lack of Security Auditing: There is an often complete lack of internal security auditing or static/dynamic analysis of Python codebases, in combination with security reviews on architecture, designs and target environment. . This means vulnerabilities can persist years from development into production unnoticed.
- Insufficient Security Awareness: Many Python developers lack adequate security awareness and secure programming training, leading to the introduction of several weaknesses in Python code. Nowadays also many ‘AI’ programming tools are great in delivering Python code with many security weaknesses that can easily turn into security vulnerabilities.
- Unreviewed Code: A significant amount of Python code across development, staging, and production environments is never reviewed from a security perspective. Static Application Security Testing (SAST) on Python Code is seldom performed, or if done only some minimal weaknesses are checked.
- Over-Privileged Accounts: Many developers, testers, and even automated processes often possess excessively wide-defined privileges. These elevated permissions are ideal for attackers who, upon compromising a system, can leverage them for lateral movement, data exfiltration, or complete system takeover.
The combination of Python’s execution capabilities and for a long time structural systemic weaknesses in development practices, such as minimal code review and the use of over-privileged accounts, creates a fertile ground for compromise.
Common weaknesses and threats when using a Python program:
A straightforward way to identify potential security risks in Python programs is by using Python Code Audit.
This static application security testing (SAST) tool streamlines and automates key security checks for Python code, helping developers detect vulnerabilities early. With its intuitive interface and powerful analysis features, Python Code Audit makes securing your code simpler — and even enjoyable.