CVE-2023-29012

Arbitrary code execution via current-directory executable search

Published Apr 25, 2023 · Updated Feb 3, 2025

Uncontrolled search path handling in Git CMD before 2.40.1 allows local users to execute arbitrary code through a planted doskey.exe. Git CMD startup resolves doskey.exe from the current working directory before a trusted system location, so an attacker-controlled executable is launched silently. Exploitation requires the victim to start Git CMD in an attacker-writable directory, and the planted code runs with that victim's account privileges.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability0.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path handling in Git CMD before 2.40.1 allows local users to execute arbitrary code through a planted doskey.exe. Git CMD startup resolves doskey.exe from the current working directory before a trusted system location, so an attacker-controlled executable is launched silently. Exploitation requires the victim to start Git CMD in an attacker-writable directory, and the planted code runs with that victim's account privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-29012
Published
Apr 25, 2023
Updated
Feb 3, 2025
Vendor
Git for Windows
Product
Git for Windows
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.007
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 3, 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=< 2.40.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Git for Windows · Git for Windowsversion=< 2.40.1

Published CVSS scores

7.2GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.007Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

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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