CVE-2023-22490

Git vulnerable to local clone-based data exfiltration with non-local transports

State
Published
Severity
5.5 Medium
Published
Feb 14, 2023
Updated
Oct 8, 2026
Reserved
Dec 29, 2022

Read the record on cve.org

Description

Git is a revision control system. Using a specially-crafted repository, Git prior to versions 2.39.2, 2.38.4, 2.37.6, 2.36.5, 2.35.7, 2.34.7, 2.33.7, 2.32.6, 2.31.7, and 2.30.8 can be tricked into using its local clone optimization even when using a non-local transport. Though Git will abort local clones whose source `$GIT_DIR/objects` directory contains symbolic links, the `objects` directory itself may still be a symbolic link. These two may be combined to include arbitrary files based on known paths on the victim's filesystem within the malicious repository's working copy, allowing for data exfiltration in a similar manner as CVE-2022-39253.

A fix has been prepared and will appear in v2.39.2 v2.38.4 v2.37.6 v2.36.5 v2.35.7 v2.34.7 v2.33.7 v2.32.6, v2.31.7 and v2.30.8. If upgrading is impractical, two short-term workarounds are available. Avoid cloning repositories from untrusted sources with `--recurse-submodules`. Instead, consider cloning repositories without recursively cloning their submodules, and instead run `git submodule update` at each layer. Before doing so, inspect each new `.gitmodules` file to ensure that it does not contain suspicious module URLs.

Scores

CVSSScoreVectorSource
3.15.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NGitHub_M

Weaknesses

  • CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Affected Products

ProductVersions
gitgit
  • >= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2Affected
  • >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.4Affected
  • >= 2.37.0, < 2.37.6Affected
  • >= 2.36.0, < 2.36.5Affected
  • >= 2.35.0, < 2.35.7Affected
  • >= 2.34.0, < 2.34.7Affected
  • >= 2.33.0, < 2.33.7Affected
  • >= 2.32.0, < 2.32.6Affected
  • >= 2.31.0, < 2.31.7Affected
  • < 2.30.8Affected

References

Every record here comes from the CVE Program’s CVE List. © 1999–2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. The records are reproduced under the CVE Program terms of use.