{"document":{"acknowledgments":[{"urls":["https://kb.cert.org/vuls/id/420440#acknowledgements"]}],"category":"CERT/CC Vulnerability Note","csaf_version":"2.0","notes":[{"category":"summary","text":"### Overview\r\n\r\nA vulnerability in the Forcepoint One DLP Client allows bypass of the vendor-implemented Python restrictions designed to prevent arbitrary code execution. By reconstructing the `ctypes` FFI environment and applying a version-header patch to the `ctypes.pyd` module, an attacker can restore `ctypes` functionality within the bundled Python 2.5.4 runtime, enabling direct invocation of DLLs, memory manipulation, and execution of arbitrary code.\r\n\r\n### Description\r\n\r\nThe Forcepoint One DLP Client (version 23.04.5642 and potentially subsequent versions) shipped with a constrained Python 2.5.4 runtime that omitted the `ctypes` foreign function interface (FFI) library. Although this limitation appeared intended to mitigate malicious use, it was demonstrated that the restriction could be bypassed by transferring compiled `ctypes` dependencies from another system and applying a version-header patch to the `ctypes.pyd` module. Once patched and correctly positioned on the search path, the previously restrained Python environment would successfully load `ctypes`, permitting execution of arbitrary shellcode or DLL-based payloads.\r\n\r\nForcepoint acknowledged the issue and indicated that a fix would be included in an upcoming release. According to the Forcepoint’s published knowledge base article (KB 000042256), the vulnerable Python runtime has been removed from Forcepoint One Endpoint (F1E) builds after version 23.11 associated with Forcepoint DLP v10.2.\r\n\r\n### Impact\r\n\r\nArbitrary code execution within the DLP client may allow an attacker to interfere with or bypass data loss prevention enforcement, alter client behavior, or disable security monitoring functions. Because the client operates as a security control on enterprise endpoints, exploitation may reduce the effectiveness of DLP protections and weaken overall system security.\r\n\r\nThe complete scope of impact in enterprise environments has not been fully determined.\r\n\r\n### Solution\r\n\r\nForcepoint reports that the vulnerable Python runtime has been removed in Endpoint builds after version 23.11 (Forcepoint DLP v10.2).\r\nUsers should upgrade to Endpoint versions which have been validated to no longer contain python.exe.\r\n\r\n### Acknowledgements\r\n\r\nThanks to the reporter, Keith Lee.\r\nThis document was written by Timur Snoke.","title":"Summary"},{"category":"legal_disclaimer","text":"THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN 'AS IS' BASIS AND DOES NOT IMPLY ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE. YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION ON THE DOCUMENT OR MATERIALS LINKED FROM THE DOCUMENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. ","title":"Legal Disclaimer"},{"category":"other","text":"CERT/CC Vulnerability Note is a limited advisory. It primarily identifies vendors impacted by the advisory and not specific products. We only support \"known_affected\" and \"known_not_affected\" status. Please consult the vendor's statements and advisory URL if provided by the vendor for more details ","title":"Limitations of Advisory"},{"category":"other","text":"Forcepoint published this KB \r\n\r\nhttps://support.forcepoint.com/s/article/000042256\r\n\r\nProviding the detail\r\n\r\n\"Forcepoint One Endpoint (F1E) - Fixed in the upcoming F1E build after 23.11 associated with the Forcepoint DLP v10.2 release\r\npython.exe has been removed from the F1E installer\"\r\n\r\n\r\nWe have validated a number of endpoint builds in our lab and have confirmed that python.exe is no longer present in the Endpoint installation folder as long as the user is using Endpoint builds released in 2024 and onwards","title":"Vendor statment from Forcepoint"},{"category":"other","text":"By virtue of the vulnerability existing in earlier versions of the software the product is considered affected and as a result a CVE was assigned.","title":"CERT/CC comment on Forcepoint notes"}],"publisher":{"category":"coordinator","contact_details":"Email: cert@cert.org, Phone: +1412 268 5800","issuing_authority":"CERT/CC under DHS/CISA https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity also see https://kb.cert.org/ ","name":"CERT/CC","namespace":"https://kb.cert.org/"},"references":[{"url":"https://certcc.github.io/certcc_disclosure_policy","summary":"CERT/CC vulnerability disclosure policy"},{"summary":"CERT/CC document released","category":"self","url":"https://kb.cert.org/vuls/id/420440"},{"url":"https://support.forcepoint.com/s/article/000042256","summary":"https://support.forcepoint.com/s/article/000042256"}],"title":"Vulnerable Python version used in Forcepoint One DLP Client","tracking":{"current_release_date":"2026-01-06T14:38:37+00:00","generator":{"engine":{"name":"VINCE","version":"3.0.35"}},"id":"VU#420440","initial_release_date":"2026-01-06 14:38:37.164943+00:00","revision_history":[{"date":"2026-01-06T14:38:37+00:00","number":"1.20260106143837.1","summary":"Released on 2026-01-06T14:38:37+00:00"}],"status":"final","version":"1.20260106143837.1"}},"vulnerabilities":[{"title":"Forcepoint One DLP Client, version 23.","notes":[{"category":"summary","text":"Forcepoint One DLP Client, version 23.04.5642 (and possibly newer versions), includes a restricted version of Python 2.5.4 that prevents use of the ctypes library. ctypes is a foreign function interface (FFI) for Python, enabling calls to DLLs/shared libraries, memory allocation, and direct code execution. It was demonstrated that these restrictions could be bypassed."}],"cve":"CVE-2025-14026","ids":[{"system_name":"CERT/CC V Identifier ","text":"VU#420440"}],"product_status":{"known_not_affected":["CSAFPID-b2c32580-34b7-11f1-8422-122e2785dc9f"]}}],"product_tree":{"branches":[{"category":"vendor","name":"Forcepoint","product":{"name":"Forcepoint Products","product_id":"CSAFPID-b2c32580-34b7-11f1-8422-122e2785dc9f"}}]}}