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 modules
ALLOWED_MODULES = {'json', 'math', 'collections'}

def safe_load(module_name):
    if module_name not in ALLOWED_MODULES:
        raise ValueError(f"Module {module_name} is not allowed")
    return load(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:

import re

def is_valid_module_name(name):
    return bool(re.match(r'^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*$', name))

Enable logging to detect suspicious activities:

import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
logger = logging.getLogger('load.security')

# Log module loading
try:
    module = load(module_name)
except Exception as e:
    logger.warning(f"Failed to load module {module_name}: {e}")
    raise

Use environment variables for sensitive configuration:

import os

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

Set reasonable limits to prevent resource exhaustion:

import resource

# 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 [email protected] 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