gh-151857: Fix IndexError in the email header parser on empty input

Lib/email/_header_value_parser.py

@@ -580,6 +580,8 @@ def display_name(self):
             return res.value
         if res[0].token_type == 'cfws':
             res.pop(0)
+            if len(res) == 0:
+                return res.value
         else:
             if (isinstance(res[0], TokenList) and
                     res[0][0].token_type == 'cfws'):
@@ -2511,7 +2513,7 @@ def get_parameter(value):
             param.append(ValueTerminal('*', 'extended-parameter-marker'))
             value = value[1:]
             param.extended = True
-    if value[0] != '=':
+    if not value or value[0] != '=':
         raise errors.HeaderParseError("Parameter not followed by '='")
     param.append(ValueTerminal('=', 'parameter-separator'))
     value = value[1:]

Lib/test/test_email/test__header_value_parser.py

@@ -1862,6 +1862,15 @@ def test_get_display_name_for_invalid_address_field(self):
             ':Foo ', '', '', [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect], ':Foo ')
         self.assertEqual(display_name.value, '')
 
+    def test_get_display_name_comment_only(self):
+        # gh-151857: a comment-only (CFWS) display name raised IndexError.
+        display_name = self._test_get_x(
+            parser.get_display_name,
+            '(c)', '(c)', ' "" ',
+            [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect, errors.ObsoleteHeaderDefect], '')
+        self.assertEqual(display_name.display_name, '')
+        self.assertEqual(display_name.value, ' "" ')
+
     # get_name_addr
 
     def test_get_name_addr_angle_addr_only(self):
@@ -3144,6 +3153,29 @@ def mime_parameters_as_value(self,
             'r*=\'a\'"',
             [('r', '"')],
             [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect]*2),
+
+        # gh-151857: a parameter name ending in the extended marker '*' with
+        # no value used to raise an uncaught IndexError instead of a defect.
+        'extended_marker_no_value': (
+            'name*',
+            '',
+            'name*',
+            [],
+            [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect]),
+
+        'extended_marker_no_value_sectioned': (
+            'name*0*',
+            '',
+            'name*0*',
+            [],
+            [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect]),
+
+        'extended_marker_no_value_after_param': (
+            'x=1; name*',
+            ' x="1"',
+            'x=1; name*',
+            [('x', '1')],
+            [errors.InvalidHeaderDefect]),
     }
 
 @parameterize

Lib/test/test_email/test_headerregistry.py

@@ -1426,6 +1426,15 @@ def test_groups_types(self):
         self.assertIsInstance(h.groups, tuple)
         self.assertIsInstance(h.groups[0], Group)
 
+    def test_comment_only_group_display_name(self):
+        # gh-151857: a comment-only group display name raised IndexError.
+        h = self.make_header('to', '(c):')
+        self.assertEqual(h.groups[0].display_name, '')
+        self.assertEqual(h.addresses, ())
+        h = self.make_header('cc', '(x): a@b.com;')
+        self.assertEqual(h.groups[0].display_name, '')
+        self.assertEqual(h.addresses[0].addr_spec, 'a@b.com')
+
     def test_set_from_Address(self):
         h = self.make_header('to', Address('me', 'foo', 'example.com'))
         self.assertEqual(h, 'me <foo@example.com>')

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-06-22-10-00-00.gh-issue-151857.3j9GAn.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Fixed two cases where the :mod:`email` header parser (under
+:class:`~email.policy.EmailPolicy`) raised an uncaught :exc:`IndexError` on
+malformed input: a MIME parameter name ending with ``*``, and an address
+header whose display name is only a comment. Both now degrade gracefully.