GitPython Environment Variable PATH untrusted search path

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in GitPython and classified as critical. This affects an unknown function of the component Environment Variable Handler. This manipulation of the argument PATH causes untrusted search path. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2023-40590. The attack requires local access. There is no available exploit.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in GitPython (Programming Language Software) (the affected version unknown). Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown part of the component Environment Variable Handler. The manipulation of the argument PATH with an unknown input leads to a untrusted search path vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-426. The 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. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

GitPython is a python library used to interact with Git repositories. When resolving a program, Python/Windows look for the current working directory, and after that the PATH environment. GitPython defaults to use the `git` command, if a user runs GitPython from a repo has a `git.exe` or `git` executable, that program will be run instead of the one in the user's `PATH`. This is more of a problem on how Python interacts with Windows systems, Linux and any other OS aren't affected by this. But probably people using GitPython usually run it from the CWD of a repo. An attacker can trick a user to download a repository with a malicious `git` executable, if the user runs/imports GitPython from that directory, it allows the attacker to run any arbitrary commands. There is no fix currently available for windows users, however there are a few mitigations. 1: Default to an absolute path for the git program on Windows, like `C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.EXE` (default git path installation). 2: Require users to set the `GIT_PYTHON_GIT_EXECUTABLE` environment variable on Windows systems. 3: Make this problem prominent in the documentation and advise users to never run GitPython from an untrusted repo, or set the `GIT_PYTHON_GIT_EXECUTABLE` env var to an absolute path. 4: Resolve the executable manually by only looking into the `PATH` environment variable.

The weakness was presented 08/29/2023 as GHSA-wfm5-v35h-vwf4. The advisory is shared at github.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-40590 since 08/16/2023. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1574 for this issue.

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

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Productinfo

Type

• Programming Language Software

Name

• GitPython

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍

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