CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-48385NVD status: Deferred

git: External Control of File Name or Path

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-48385 is a high-severity external control of file name or path vulnerability in git, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.6 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. Affected git versions: < 2.43.7; >= 2.44.0-rc0, < 2.44.4; >= 2.45.0-rc0, < 2.45.4, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.06% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 65% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of git you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
  4. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Gitgit< 2.43.7; >= 2.44.0-rc0, < 2.44.4; >= 2.45.0-rc0, < 2.45.4; >= 2.46.0-rc0, < 2.46.4; >= 2.47.0-rc0, < 2.47.3; >= 2.48.0-rc0, < 2.48.2; >= 2.49.0-rc0, < 2.49.1; >= 2.50.0-rc0, < 2.50.1Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Attack requirements
NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
ActiveA user must deliberately do something unusual, such as dismissing a warning.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: 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/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals. When cloning a repository Git knows to optionally fetch a bundle advertised by the remote server, which allows the server-side to offload parts of the clone to a CDN. The Git client does not perform sufficient validation of the advertised bundles, which allows the remote side to perform protocol injection. This protocol injection can cause the client to write the fetched bundle to a location controlled by the adversary. The fetched content is fully controlled by the server, which can in the worst case lead to arbitrary code execution. The use of bundle URIs is not enabled by default and can be controlled by the bundle.heuristic config option. Some cases of the vulnerability require that the adversary is in control of where a repository will be cloned to. This either requires social engineering or a recursive clone with submodules. These cases can thus be avoided by disabling recursive clones. This vulnerability is fixed in v2.43.7, v2.44.4, v2.45.4, v2.46.4, v2.47.3, v2.48.2, v2.49.1, and v2.50.1.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: External Control of File Name or Path

The product allows user input to control or influence paths or file names that are used in filesystem operations.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • When the set of filenames is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames, and reject all other inputs. For example, ID 1 could map to inbox.txt and ID 2 could map to profile.txt. Features such as the ESAPI AccessReferenceMap provide this capability.
  • Run your code in a jail or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict all access to files within a particular directory. Examples include the Unix chroot jail and AppArmor. In general, managed code may provide some protection. This may not be a feasible solution, and it only limits the impact to the operating system; the rest of your application may still be subject to compromise. Be careful to avoid CWE-243 and other weaknesses related to jails.
  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

More External Control of File Name or Path vulnerabilities (CWE-73)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in git

All git vulnerabilities

Recent External Control of File Name or Path vulnerabilities

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