This document outlines important security considerations when using the load module.

• Installation Security
• Code Execution
• Dependency Management
• Best Practices
• Reporting Vulnerabilities

Always verify the authenticity of the package before installation:

# Verify package signature (if available)
pip install --require-hashes -r requirements.txt

When installing from source:

1. Verify the repository URL
2. Check commit hashes
3. Review the source code before installation

The load module performs dynamic imports, which can execute arbitrary code. Be cautious when:

• Loading modules from untrusted sources
• Using user-provided module names
• Loading modules with side effects

# Safe: Using a whitelist of allowed modulesALLOWED_MODULES= {'json', 'math', 'collections'}
defsafe_load(module_name):
ifmodule_namenotinALLOWED_MODULES:
raiseValueError(f"Module {module_name} is not allowed")
returnload(module_name)

Always pin your dependencies to specific versions:

# Good
load.install('numpy==1.21.0')
# Potentially unsafe
load.install('numpy')

Be aware of dependency confusion attacks. Always:

1. Use private package indexes when available
2. Configure pip to prioritize your private index
3. Use hashes in requirements files

Run your application with the minimum required permissions:

• Avoid running as root/administrator
• Use virtual environments
• Set appropriate file permissions

Always validate and sanitize inputs when they affect module loading:

importredefis_valid_module_name(name):
returnbool(re.match(r'^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*$', name))

Enable logging to detect suspicious activities:

importlogginglogging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
logger=logging.getLogger('load.security')
# Log module loadingtry:
module=load(module_name)
exceptExceptionase:
logger.warning(f"Failed to load module {module_name}: {e}")
raise

Use environment variables for sensitive configuration:

importos# Load configuration from environmentMAX_MODULE_SIZE=int(os.getenv('MAX_MODULE_SIZE', '10485760')) # 10MB default

Set reasonable limits to prevent resource exhaustion:

importresource# Set memory limit (in bytes)resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_AS, (1_000_000_000, 1_000_000_000)) # 1GB

If you discover a security vulnerability in this project:

1. Do not create a public issue
2. Email security@example.com with details
3. Include steps to reproduce the issue
4. We will respond within 48 hours

Before deploying to production:

• All dependencies are pinned to specific versions
• Input validation is in place for dynamic imports
• Appropriate file permissions are set
• Logging is enabled for security events
• Dependencies are regularly updated
• Security headers are configured (for web applications)

• OWASP Top 10
• Python Security Best Practices
• PyPA Security

• 1.0.0: Initial security guidelines

Last updated: June 2025