CVE-2022-41953

Code execution via worktree executable search

Published Jan 17, 2023 · Updated Mar 10, 2025

Untrusted search path handling in Git GUI before 2.39.1 allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious cloned repository. After cloning, Git GUI's Tcl post-processing invokes aspell.exe by name while Windows executable search includes the new worktree's current directory. A user must clone an attacker-controlled repository with Git GUI; a top-level aspell.exe then runs with that user's privileges before inspection.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability6.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Untrusted search path handling in Git GUI before 2.39.1 allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious cloned repository. After cloning, Git GUI's Tcl post-processing invokes aspell.exe by name while Windows executable search includes the new worktree's current directory. A user must clone an attacker-controlled repository with Git GUI; a top-level aspell.exe then runs with that user's privileges before inspection.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-41953
Published
Jan 17, 2023
Updated
Mar 10, 2025
Vendor
Git for Windows
Product
Git for Windows
Classifications
CWE-426, T1574.008
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 10, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 2.39.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Git for Windows · Git for Windowsversion=< 2.39.1

Published CVSS scores

8.6GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
T1574.008Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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