### Summary Copier's `_subdirectory` setting is documented as the subdirectory to use as the template root. However, the current implementation accepts parent-directory traversal such as `..` and uses it directly when selecting the template root. As a result, a template can escape its own directory and make Copier render files from the parent directory without `--UNSAFE`. ### Details The relevant code path is: 1. the template defines `_subdirectory` 2. Copier renders that string 3. `template_copy_root` returns `self.template.local_abspath / subdir` 4. Copier walks that directory as the template root Relevant code: - <https://github.com/copier-org/copier/blob/7aa7021bd73797c982492bac3535515d4484fdb7/copier/_main.py#L1056-L1062> - <https://github.com/copier-org/copier/blob/7aa7021bd73797c982492bac3535515d4484fdb7/copier/_template.py#L504-L513> The effective sink is: ```python subdir = self._render_string(self.template.subdirectory) or "" return self.template.local_abspath / subdir ``` There is no check that the resulting path stays inside the template directory. The documentation for `_subdirectory` describes it as: > Subdirectory to use as the template root when generating a project. and explains it as a way to separate template metadata from template source code: <https://github.com/copier-org/copier/blob/7aa7021bd73797c982492bac3535515d4484fdb7/docs/configuring.md#L1582-L1646> That description fits values like `template` or `poetry`, but not `..`. ### PoC #### PoC 1: `_subdirectory: ..` escapes to the parent directory ```sh mkdir -p root/template dst echo 'loot' > root/loot.txt printf '%s\n' '_subdirectory: ..' > root/template/copier.yml copier copy --overwrite root/template dst find dst -maxdepth 3 -type f | sort cat dst/loot.txt ``` Expected output includes: ```text dst/loot.txt dst/template/copier.yml loot ``` This shows Copier is rendering from `root/` rather than from `root/template/`. ### Impact If a user runs Copier on an untrusted template, that template can change the effective template root and make Copier render files from outside the intended template directory. Practical impact: - template-root escape via `..` - rendering of parent-directory files that were not meant to be part of the template - possible without `--UNSAFE`
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| python packaging authority | copier | pip/copier: < 9.14.1 |
