CVE-2023-40590: GitPython GitPython Untrusted Search Path On Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-wfm5-v35h-vwf4",
  "modified" : "2024-09-20T20:14:20Z",
  "published" : "2023-08-29T23:33:53Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-40590" ],
  "summary" : "GitPython untrusted search path on Windows systems leading to arbitrary code execution",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nWhen resolving a program, Python/Windows look for the current working directory, and after that the PATH environment (see big warning in https://docs.python.org/3/library/subprocess.html#popen-constructor). 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`.\n\n### Details\n\nThis 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.\n\nThe execution of the `git` command happens in\n\nhttps://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/blob/1c8310d7cae144f74a671cbe17e51f63a830adbf/git/cmd.py#L277 \n\nhttps://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/blob/1c8310d7cae144f74a671cbe17e51f63a830adbf/git/cmd.py#L983-L996\n\nAnd there are other commands executed that should probably be aware of this problem.\n\n### PoC\n\nOn a Windows system, create a `git.exe` or `git` executable in any directory, and import or run GitPython from that directory\n\n```\npython -c \"import git\"\n```\n\nThe git executable from the current directory will be run.\n\n### Impact\n\nAn 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.\n\n### Possible solutions\n \n- Default to an absolute path for the git program on Windows, like `C:\\\\Program Files\\\\Git\\\\cmd\\\\git.EXE` (default git path installation).\n- Require users to set the `GIT_PYTHON_GIT_EXECUTABLE` environment variable on Windows systems.\n- 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.\n- Resolve the executable manually by only looking into the `PATH` environment variable (suggested by @Byron)\n\n---\n\n> [!NOTE]\n> This vulnerability was reported via email, and it was decided to publish it here and make it public, so the community is aware of it, and a fix can be provided.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "GitPython"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.1.33"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.1.32"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/security/advisories/GHSA-wfm5-v35h-vwf4"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40590"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/issues/1635"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/pull/1636"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/commit/8b75434e2c8a082cdeb4971cc6f0ee2bafec45bc"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://docs.python.org/3/library/subprocess.html#popen-constructor"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/releases/tag/3.1.33"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/gitpython/PYSEC-2023-161.yaml"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-426" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-08-29T23:33:53Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-08-28T18:15:08Z"
  }
}