Why does Python need security transparency?

Published: 06 December 2017
on channel: North Bay Python

630

Steve Dower

https://2017.northbaypython.org/sched...

The days of "software vulnerability" being a synonym for "buffer overflow" are over. Modern vulnerabilities are those that enable attackers to get into your network and stay in your network. Beyond simple bugs, any tool that can execute arbitrary code becomes a vulnerability - especially if you don't know when it is doing that.

Python is a popular tool with attackers, in large part because it can download encrypted code, decrypt and execute it with a single line of code. And once that entire payload is running, nobody knows exactly what it is doing.

[PEP 551](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0...) adds a range of auditing hooks to the Python runtime, enabling system administrators to see into how it is being used. You can inspect every piece of code that is compiled and executed, intercept calls that modify trace functions, and collect information on code that uses native functions through `ctypes`.

This session will look at why we need security transparency in Python. We will look at actual examples of malware written in Python, and see how the hooks provided by PEP 551 enable administrators to detect and prevent attacks on their systems.

About North Bay Python

A single-track conference north of the Golden Gate, focused on community, collaboration, and all things Python.

North Bay Python is a two-day, single-track Python conference held at the Mystic Theatre in Historic Downtown Petaluma, California, over the weekend of December 2 & 3, 2017.

We're a nonprofit conference for professionals, enthusiasts and students alike. We're focused on inclusion, accessibility, diversity, and affordability. Most importantly, we're planning a great lineup of talks from all over the Python ecosystem, with plenty of time to meet new people and develop new ideas.

Our venue, the Mystic Theatre in Downtown Petaluma, is a beautiful example of an early 1900s Vaudeville theatre. You can find over 50 different food and drink options a short walk away, and the nearest hotel is only a block away.

A Python conference north of the Golden Gate

North Bay Python is a single-track conference with a carefully curated set of talks representing the diverse Python community and their different areas of interest.

If a topic is less to your interest, or you've met some people you really want to sit down and chat with, we'll have plenty of areas away from the main theatre to catch up and chat.

Our goal is to keep prices as low as possible. That means we won't be catering lunch. Instead, you can look forward to extra-long lunch breaks you can use to explore all of the great food options around the venue.

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