CVE-2023-23618

Code execution via unsafe Tcl command lookup

Published Feb 14, 2023 · Updated Mar 10, 2025

Untrusted search path handling in Git for Windows before 2.39.2 allows local users to execute code when a user opens gitk. gitk passes bare command names to Tcl exec and pipeline-backed open calls, whose Windows lookup can select an executable from the current worktree before PATH entries. Exploitation requires a user to launch gitk, including Git GUI's Visualize History action, inside an untrusted repository containing the planted executable.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.39%
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

Untrusted search path handling in Git for Windows before 2.39.2 allows local users to execute code when a user opens gitk. gitk passes bare command names to Tcl exec and pipeline-backed open calls, whose Windows lookup can select an executable from the current worktree before PATH entries. Exploitation requires a user to launch gitk, including Git GUI's Visualize History action, inside an untrusted repository containing the planted executable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23618
Published
Feb 14, 2023
Updated
Mar 10, 2025
Vendor
Git for Windows
Product
Git for Windows
Classifications
CWE-426, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 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=< 2.39.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Git for Windows · Git for Windowsversion=< 2.39.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.6GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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
T1204.002Malicious File

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