Replication Code for: "From Constrictor to Serpent: Investigating the Threat of Cache Poisoning in the Python Ecosystem"

Name: Replication Code for: "From Constrictor to Serpent: Investigating the Threat of Cache Poisoning in the Python Ecosystem"
Published: 2026-01-30
License: https://mit-license.org/

Open this dataset in the live repository

Important usage condition: Use and redistribution are governed by MIT. Review and comply with the license before using the data.

Persistent identifier: doi:10.60507/FK2/TNJHGT
Published version: 1.0
Publication date: 2026-01-30
License: MIT

Description

Scripts for reproducing cache files in Python packages. This includes an automated Docker-based setup for running old Python versions with bytecode compilation and tools for automatic and manual cache file comparisons. Additionally, proofs of concept are included

Creators

Ohm, Marc
Pohl, Timo
Swierzy, Ben
Meier, Michael

Keywords

Python, Cache, Software Supply Chain

Files

Before downloading: Use and redistribution are governed by MIT. Review and comply with the license before using the data.

File	Type	Bytes	Checksum
uv.lock	application/octet-stream	16615	MD5 596279b871d705276c689a16adfc5115
models.py	text/x-python	13296	MD5 b99d27aa504df641039d7e55a993a193
python_37_314.py	text/x-python	1241	MD5 5131a3c9feec1fc0329ff3690b8a1fe1
README.md	text/markdown	408	MD5 ccd424cbd3ceb220a5cae5d9c5e0746a
main.py	text/x-python	30	MD5 5390c0e270120a9b5fe81b1844420c1a
main.py	text/x-python	52	MD5 2058ef0220d1e3d523b6c3a83f616023
rich_313_parser.py	text/x-python	3063	MD5 b0167b0632df975a781d4178ec46d154
analyzer.py	text/x-python	1144	MD5 3b32755ab51dfa88318f07ad8a194bf5
table-synthesis-GenerateTable.cpython-310.pyc	application/octet-stream	6756	MD5 d5a66993666520fd7126f9bba58933c9
gator-core-__init__.cpython-311.pyc	application/octet-stream	1180	MD5 2c59180091d51b4434cf2755cf5aa3d6
python_26_36.py	text/x-python	1299	MD5 317dd6596b9bc5d11798df6976aaecb7
Cargo.toml	application/octet-stream	331	MD5 ab8e0b61860bd5c3dceb2661c8e88861
Cargo.lock	application/octet-stream	23949	MD5 f24343a41dae8ba17805536c023b61d9
config.toml	application/octet-stream	128	MD5 5ad3d896a5d8f8bf5801550a26180fff
README.md	text/markdown	466	MD5 38f368fb4adf02e4a273a035410f37e8
README.md	text/markdown	1342	MD5 239ff821bb2060572e14a3636cfe59ad
evaluate.py	text/x-python	5498	MD5 f7ff00bc21f8c4fb1f436be195a96cb3
USAGE.md	text/markdown	625	MD5 07600ee6d2f759ebf6a419e64eaca3fd
README.md	text/markdown	1832	MD5 cc67966365097d4f8a1e8311f5e403a8
1-cleanup-data.py	text/x-python	1770	MD5 632421716f9314618491b70537bbdf6e
3-analyze-results.py	text/x-python	6745	MD5 be44b12d0261aabd858e8454fa927171
2-recreate-cache.py	text/x-python	31498	MD5 7bfd8f4549a4498b215d2e49ed1592c9
README.md	text/markdown	708	MD5 23d705ed04ff6e5593cecd780dbad214
rich_313_parser.py	text/x-python	3063	MD5 b0167b0632df975a781d4178ec46d154
__init__.py	text/x-python	0	MD5 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e
main.rs	application/rls-services+xml	3104	MD5 1670000c27a7102edf7c8758b4ef363b
python_37_314.py	text/x-python	769	MD5 54a6faaf6df539403f2e0b5811a839ae
README.md	text/markdown	1182	MD5 e9d7b47edbd96a88f439110db34dda36
__init__.py	text/x-python	0	MD5 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e
python_26_31.py	text/x-python	311	MD5 08864ccb7efb6582773aabb8b4ba4ac7
python_32_36.py	text/x-python	516	MD5 38e6f2a6823b3b7e74ecfa5f95b3336c
extract-release-table.py	text/x-python	984	MD5 60940983cf502770b1e05ec9207f5543
magic-table	text/plain; charset=US-ASCII	11050	MD5 8505cb8d42f6a86896375752781138db
extract-magic-table.py	text/x-python	853	MD5 96466e5f09844ece96281bddf4a338e5
scan_packages_for_cache_files.py	text/x-python	5930	MD5 4895e05b5d908a517f88371c76eb3bf4
malicious.py	text/x-python	38	MD5 79284666664c1e25b49eda52ff70eccd
compile_and_poison.py	text/x-python	1721	MD5 f44bdf0f76a7f40bb248546ca91fbfe6
MANIFEST.in	text/plain	59	MD5 e881e74dc0e133ecccc964f4591b81e0
__init__.py	text/x-python	0	MD5 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e
benign.py	text/x-python	39	MD5 021ff7b61b169c06212b627ccc3c8307
python_37_314.py	text/x-python	1241	MD5 5131a3c9feec1fc0329ff3690b8a1fe1
gator-core-__init__-3.11.13.pyc	application/octet-stream	1276	MD5 f5d2e26736b55da268f5dd48c106e73a
table-synthesis-GenerateTable-3.10.18.pyc	application/octet-stream	6784	MD5 b64fe185ced83aa8146a4c9d2d12a5eb
pyproject.toml	application/toml	389	MD5 8d090e615762f155a9b96eb24053b904
README.md	text/markdown	3530	MD5 4466afbe8fa575ca11bf2aa699a20537
README.md	text/markdown	2866	MD5 0e47fc900174635cab947e93335cb86e
readme.txt	text/plain	4594	MD5 c514ad69f947e12840623f0e17458485
prepare.sh	application/x-shellscript	983	MD5 c2898eca22b71ed242944f8df904424f
pyproject.toml	application/toml	390	MD5 78901f870a1ae80963e9751dc22c9fce
README.md	text/markdown	193	MD5 e57800e4d7a7a2672c946994731d916e
pyproject.toml	application/toml	195	MD5 250b03649f41a107784886f04056b12b
pyproject.toml	application/toml	201	MD5 5b197d172f50d8141d9de4e1fb930845

Citation

Ohm, Marc; Pohl, Timo; Swierzy, Ben; Meier, Michael, 2026-01-30, Replication Code for: "From Constrictor to Serpent: Investigating the Threat of Cache Poisoning in the Python Ecosystem", doi:10.60507/FK2/TNJHGT, V1.0

Additional Dataverse fields

Id	567
Dataset Type	dataset
Internal Version Number	277
Latest Version Publishing State	RELEASED
Production Date	2025-10-24
Release Time	2026-01-30T12:26:53Z
Create Time	2026-01-19T13:09:57Z
Citation Date	2026-01-30
File Access Request	True

Export metadata

Static metadata exports available for this published dataset version:

Complete Dataverse metadata

Citation Metadata

Title title

Replication Code for: "From Constrictor to Serpent: Investigating the Threat of Cache Poisoning in the Python Ecosystem"

Author author

Author Name
Ohm, Marc
Author Affiliation
University of Bonn & Fraunhofer FKIE
Author Identifier Scheme
ORCID
Author Identifier
Type Name
authorIdentifier
Multiple
False
Type Class
primitive
Value
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2913-5270
Expandedvalue
Person Name
Ohm, Marc
@id
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2913-5270
Scheme
ORCID
@type
https://schema.org/Person
Author Name
Pohl, Timo
Author Affiliation
University of Bonn
Author Identifier Scheme
ORCID
Author Identifier
Type Name
authorIdentifier
Multiple
False
Type Class
primitive
Value
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3760-7976
Expandedvalue
Person Name
Pohl, Timo
@id
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3760-7976
Scheme
ORCID
@type
https://schema.org/Person
Author Name
Swierzy, Ben
Author Affiliation
Fraunhofer FKIE & University of Bonn
Author Identifier Scheme
ORCID
Author Identifier
Type Name
authorIdentifier
Multiple
False
Type Class
primitive
Value
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0485-4791
Expandedvalue
Person Name
Swierzy, Ben
@id
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0485-4791
Scheme
ORCID
@type
https://schema.org/Person
Author Name
Meier, Michael
Author Affiliation
University of Bonn & Fraunhofer FKIE
Author Identifier Scheme
ORCID
Author Identifier
Type Name
authorIdentifier
Multiple
False
Type Class
primitive
Value
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8199-5004
Expandedvalue
Person Name
Meier, Michael
@id
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8199-5004
Scheme
ORCID
@type
https://schema.org/Person

Dataset Contact datasetContact

Dataset Contact Name
Ohm, Marc
Dataset Contact Affiliation
University of Bonn
Dataset Contact Email
ohm@cs.uni-bonn.de

Ds Description dsDescription

Ds Description Value
Scripts for reproducing cache files in Python packages. This includes an automated Docker-based setup for running old Python versions with bytecode compilation and tools for automatic and manual cache file comparisons. Additionally, proofs of concept are included

Subject subject

Computer and Information Science

Subject Refinement subjectRefinement

Subject Refinement Value
Computer Science: Security and Dependability [409-03]

Free Keyword freeKeyword

Free Keyword Value
Python
Free Keyword Value
Cache
Free Keyword Value
Software Supply Chain

Publication publication

Publication Relation Type
IsSupplementTo
Publication Citation
Ohm, M., Pohl, T., Swierzy, B., & Meier, M. (2026). From Constrictor to Serpent: Investigating the Threat of Cache Poisoning in the Python Ecosystem. In SICHERHEIT 2026. Gesellschaft für Informatik, Bonn.
Publication IDType
doi
Publication IDNumber
10.18420/sicherheit2026_13
Publication URL
https://doi.org/10.18420/sicherheit2026_13

Language language

English

Production Date productionDate

2025-10-24

Depositor depositor

Ohm, Marc-Philipp

Date Of Deposit dateOfDeposit

2026-01-19

Related Datasets relatedDatasets

List of analyzed Python Packages: https://doi.org/10.60507/FK2/EADABS

Software Metadata (CodeMeta v2.0)

Code Version codeVersion

0.1.0

Development Status developmentStatus

Concept

Application Category applicationCategory

Analysis

Application Sub Category applicationSubCategory

Package Replication

Programming Language programmingLanguage

Python
Rust

Runtime Platform runtimePlatform

Python 3.13
Docker 29.1.4

Operating System operatingSystem

Linux

Software Requirements Item softwareRequirementsItem

Software Requirements
pydantic 2.11.7
Software Requirements Info Url
https://github.com/pydantic/pydantic
Software Requirements
requests 2.32.5
Software Requirements Info Url
https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/index.html
Software Requirements
docker 7.1.0
Software Requirements Info Url
https://github.com/docker/docker-py
Software Requirements
urllib3 2.5.0
Software Requirements Info Url
https://github.com/urllib3/urllib3
Software Requirements
siphash24 1.8
Software Requirements Info Url
https://github.com/dnicolodi/python-siphash24/
Software Requirements
beautifulsoup4 4.13.5
Software Requirements Info Url
https://www.crummy.com/software/BeautifulSoup/
Software Requirements
semantic_version 2.10.0
Software Requirements Info Url
https://github.com/rbarrois/python-semanticversion
Software Requirements
uv 0.9.26
Software Requirements Info Url
https://docs.astral.sh/uv/
Software Requirements
setuptools 77.0.3
Software Requirements Info Url
https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/
Software Requirements
twine 6.2.0
Software Requirements Info Url
https://twine.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
Software Requirements
build 1.3.0
Software Requirements Info Url
https://build.pypa.io/en/stable/

Software Suggestions Item softwareSuggestionsItem

Software Suggestions
Cargo 1.90.0
Software Suggestions Info Url
https://rust-lang.org/

Expected crawler behaviour

Use a stable, truthful User-Agent with product/version and a working contact URL. Across all IP addresses and HTTP connections used by one crawler identity, allow no more than 5 requests in flight and wait at least 20 seconds between request starts. Crawl URLs listed in the catalog sitemap, including file pages and download URLs when they are published, use conditional requests, honor Retry-After, and apply exponential backoff after errors.

The welcome page may link to the interactive repository for human navigation. Automated clients must not treat that human link as a catalog crawl target.

Read the live machine-readable crawler policy before and during a crawl. Stop crawling when it reports CPU or memory utilization at or above 80% and 80% respectively.