CVE-2022-41953: git-for-windows git Untrusted Search Path

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-41953 is a high (CVSS 8.6) Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in git-for-windows git. EPSS estimates a 6.80% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 93.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 17-01-2023
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 10-03-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Git GUI is a convenient graphical tool that comes with Git for Windows. Its target audience is users who are uncomfortable with using Git on the command-line. Git GUI has a function to clone repositories. Immediately after the local clone is available, Git GUI will automatically post-process it, among other things running a spell checker called `aspell.exe` if it was found. Git GUI is implemented as a Tcl/Tk script. Due to the unfortunate design of Tcl on Windows, the search path when looking for an executable _always includes the current directory_. Therefore, malicious repositories can ship with an `aspell.exe` in their top-level directory which is executed by Git GUI without giving the user a chance to inspect it first, i.e. running untrusted code. This issue has been addressed in version 2.39.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should avoid using Git GUI for cloning. If that is not a viable option, at least avoid cloning from untrusted sources.

• CWE-426Untrusted Search PathThe product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control.