Fun With Python OS Imports

Introduction

In this article we are going to explore about the ways in which we can import and use os module in python. This can be applied to other modules based on the context.

The Standard Way

import os

os.system('ls')

from os import system

system('ls')

Using importlib

import importlib

importlib.import_module('os').system('ls')

Using __import__

os = __import__('os')

os.system('ls')

Using sys

# If `sys` and `os` is already imported or accessible.

sys.modules['os'].system('ls')

Using eval

os = eval('__import__("os")')

os.system('ls')

Using exec

exec('import os; os.system("ls")')

Other Ways

Using Hex

eval(bytes.fromhex('5f5f696d706f72745f5f28226f732229')).system('ls')

exec(bytes.fromhex('696d706f7274206f733b6f732e73797374656d28226c732229'))

__import__(bytes.fromhex('6f73').decode()).system('ls')

Using String Manipulation

__import__(''.join(['o', 's'])).system('ls')

__import__('o1s1'.replace('1', '')).system('ls')

Using other packages

# If already imported package exposes `os`

logging.os.system('ls')

getattr(logging, 'o1s1'.replace('1', '')).system('ls')
getattr(logging, bytes.fromhex('6f73').decode()).system('ls')

getattr(getattr(logging, 'o1s1'.replace('1', '')), 's1y1s1t1e1m1'.replace('1', ''))('ls')

import operator

f = operator.methodcaller('o1s1'.replace('1', ''))
os = f(logging)

f = operator.methodcaller('s1y1s1t1e1m1'.replace('1', ''), 'ls')
f(os)

import operator

l = globals().get('l1o1g1g1i1n1g1'.replace('1', ''))

o = getattr(l, 'o1s1'.replace('1', ''))

f = operator.methodcaller('s1y1s1t1e1m1'.replace('1', ''), 'ls')
f(o)

Conclusion

We can also combine hex, replace and other methods in different ways. There are a plenty of ways to use the os package even if we restrict it somehow. I’m still exploring the possibilities. If I come to know more possibilities, I’ll update here.