CVE-2023-22742Network attack vector

Repository tampering via omitted SSH host-key validation

Published Jan 20, 2023 · Updated Mar 10, 2025

Improper SSH host-key validation in libgit2 before 1.4.5 and 1.5.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to tamper with Git traffic. With the optional libssh2 backend, the SSH transport skips server-key verification when git_remote_callbacks.certificate_check is unset. Exploitation requires a client to connect through an attacker-controlled network path; successful interception can substitute repository data without an SSH identity warning.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper SSH host-key validation in libgit2 before 1.4.5 and 1.5.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to tamper with Git traffic. With the optional libssh2 backend, the SSH transport skips server-key verification when git_remote_callbacks.certificate_check is unset. Exploitation requires a client to connect through an attacker-controlled network path; successful interception can substitute repository data without an SSH identity warning.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-22742
Published
Jan 20, 2023
Updated
Mar 10, 2025
Vendor
libgit2
Product
libgit2
Classifications
CWE-347, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 20, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=< 1.4.5
  2. Affected versionversion== 1.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

libgit2 · libgit2version=< 1.4.5; version== 1.5.0

Published CVSS scores

5.3GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-347Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo