Fix #1120: change unsafe regex in symbolic_operator.py #1140
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CodeQL scan [report quantumlib#566](https://github.com/quantumlib/OpenFermion/security/code-scanning/566) flagged a regex used on line 165 of `src/openfermion/ops/operators/symbolic_operator.py` as being potential subject to a DoS attach. The warning is this: ```python pattern = r'(.*?)\[(.*?)\]' # regex for a term for match in re.findall(pattern, long_string, flags=re.DOTALL): ``` ``` This regular expression that depends on a user-provided value may run slow on strings with many repetitions of 'a'. This regular expression that depends on a user-provided value may run slow on strings starting with '[' and with many repetitions of '[a'. This regular expression that depends on a user-provided value may run slow on strings with many repetitions of 'a'. This regular expression that depends on a user-provided value may run slow on strings starting with '[' and with many repetitions of '[a'. ``` This changes the regular expression to avoid `.*` yet still be able to match the same patterns as before. Additional tests in `symbolic_operator_test.py` verify that this will parse strings correctly.
mhucka
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mhucka
changed the title
pavoljuhas
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Sep 26, 2025
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CodeQL scan report #566 flagged a regex used on line 165 of
src/openfermion/ops/operators/symbolic_operator.pyas being potential subject to a DoS attach. The warning is this:This changes the regular expression to avoid
.*yet still be able to match the same patterns as before. Additional tests insymbolic_operator_test.pyverify that this will parse strings correctly.