[Catalog-sig] Proposal: close the PyPI file-replacement loophole

[Jim Fulton]

On Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 6:47 PM, Richard Jones <r1chardj0n3s at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi catalog-sig,
>
> When we initially implemented file upload to PyPI it was our intention
> that the file be immutable once uploaded. The goal was to make things
> significantly simpler for end users - there would only ever be one
> file with a given name. If the content changed then so must the name
> (typically by creating a new release version.)
>
> After the upload facility was put in place we also added the ability
> to delete files uploaded to pypi. This created a loophole: if a
> package owner knew how to they could delete the file and re-upload,
> thus circumventing the replacement protection.
>
> I'm considering closing this loophole by retaining a record of the
> uploaded file (though not the contents) so that future uploads with
> the same name wouldn't be allowed. I understand that this is how the
> ruby gem archive handles deletion of files.

+1

Jim

-- 
Jim Fulton
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimfulton