CVE-2023-23946Public exploit

Arbitrary file overwrite via newly created symlink

Published Feb 14, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Path traversal in Git before 2.30.8 and affected later maintenance branches allows attackers to overwrite files via a crafted patch. Git apply validates paths against existing symbolic links but fails to recheck a path after the same patch creates or renames a symbolic link, so a later file entry follows that link outside the working tree. Exploitation requires a user or automated process to apply untrusted patch input; the overwrite runs with that process's file permissions, with no direct read or code-execution capability established.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Git before 2.30.8 and affected later maintenance branches allows attackers to overwrite files via a crafted patch. Git apply validates paths against existing symbolic links but fails to recheck a path after the same patch creates or renames a symbolic link, so a later file entry follows that link outside the working tree. Exploitation requires a user or automated process to apply untrusted patch input; the overwrite runs with that process's file permissions, with no direct read or code-execution capability established.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23946
Published
Feb 14, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Git
Product
Git
Classifications
CWE-22, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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=< 2.30.8
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 2.31.0, < 2.31.7
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 2.32.0, < 2.32.6
  4. Affected versionversion=>= 2.33.0, < 2.33.7
  5. Affected versionversion=>= 2.34.0, < 2.34.7
  6. Affected versionversion=>= 2.35.0, < 2.35.7
  7. Affected versionversion=>= 2.36.0, < 2.36.5
  8. Affected versionversion=>= 2.37.0, < 2.37.6
  9. Affected versionversion=>= 2.38.0, < 2.38.4
  10. Affected versionversion=>= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Git · Gitversion=< 2.30.8; version=>= 2.31.0, < 2.31.7; version=>= 2.32.0, < 2.32.6; version=>= 2.33.0, < 2.33.7; version=>= 2.34.0, < 2.34.7; version=>= 2.35.0, < 2.35.7; version=>= 2.36.0, < 2.36.5; version=>= 2.37.0, < 2.37.6; version=>= 2.38.0, < 2.38.4; version=>= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2

Published CVSS scores

6.2GitHub CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

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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