CVE-2023-22490
Git vulnerable to local clone-based data exfiltration with non-local transports
Reported by github_m · Published February 14, 2023
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.
Fixed versions
Upgrade to a fixed version or later. Language registries are listed first, then Linux distributions, then vendor products.
| Package | Ecosystem | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| git-core | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1, 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-cvs | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1, 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-gui | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1, 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-p4 | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-subtree | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| perl-Git-SVN | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1, 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-core-doc | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-all | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1 |
| git-email | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
| git-daemon | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1 |
| gitweb | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2023.0.1 |
| gitk | Amazon Linux | 2.39.2-1.amzn2.0.1 |
2 more packages have a fixed version. See every fix in Lookup.
Risk scores
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| git | git | >= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2, >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.4, >= 2.37.0, < 2.37.6 |
| amazon:2 | git-core | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-cvs | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | git-gui | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | git-core | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-p4 | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-subtree | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | git-cvs | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | perl-Git-SVN | 0 |
| amazon:2 | perl-Git-SVN | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-core-doc | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | git-all | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-email | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | git-daemon | 0 |
| amazon:2 | git-gui | 0 |
| amazon:2023 | gitweb | 0 |
| amazon:2 | gitk | 0 |
| amazon:2 | perl-Git | 0 |
| git | git | 0, 2.39.0, 2.38.0 |
| amazon:2 | git-svn | 0 |
…and 19 more
Timeline
- Feb 14, 2023 CVE Published
- Feb 15, 2023 EPSS Score (30 in total, the first dated here)
- Nov 17, 2024 PoC Published
- Oct 6, 2025 CVE Updated
- Feb 21, 2026 Security Advisory (8 in total, the first dated here)
- May 18, 2026 Coalition ESS Score
- Nov 3, 2026 Distribution Patch (5 in total, the first dated here)
Query this with the API
The same record, from the CLI:
vulnetix vdb vuln CVE-2023-22490
vulnetix vdb fixes CVE-2023-22490
Or with curl, using the org id and key from your account page:
curl -s -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${VULNETIX_ORG_ID}:${VULNETIX_API_KEY}" \
"https://api.vdb.vulnetix.com/v2/vuln/CVE-2023-22490/fixes/registry"
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References
- https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/GHSA-gw92-x3fm-3g3q x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/GHSA-3wp6-j8xr-qw85 x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/git/git/commit/c867e4fa180bec4750e9b54eb10f459030dbebfd x_refsource_MISC
- CVE-2023-22490_PoC exploit