Vulnerability Description
In Git for Windows, the Windows port of Git, no localized messages are shipped with the installer. As a consequence, Git is expected not to localize messages at all, and skips the gettext initialization. However, due to a change in MINGW-packages, the `gettext()` function's implicit initialization no longer uses the runtime prefix but uses the hard-coded path `C:\mingw64\share\locale` to look for localized messages. And since any authenticated user has the permission to create folders in `C:\` (and since `C:\mingw64` does not typically exist), it is possible for low-privilege users to place fake messages in that location where `git.exe` will pick them up in version 2.40.1. This vulnerability is relatively hard to exploit and requires social engineering. For example, a legitimate message at the end of a clone could be maliciously modified to ask the user to direct their web browser to a malicious website, and the user might think that the message comes from Git and is legitimate. It does require local write access by the attacker, though, which makes this attack vector less likely. Version 2.40.1 contains a patch for this issue. Some workarounds are available. Do not work on a Windows machine with shared accounts, or alternatively create a `C:\mingw64` folder and leave it empty. Users who have administrative rights may remove the permission to create folders in `C:\`.
CVSS Score
LOW
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Git For Windows Project | Git For Windows | < 2.40.1 |
| Fedoraproject | Fedora | 37 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/25/2Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://axcheron.github.io/exploit-101-format-strings/#writing-to-the-stackProduct
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/tag/v2.40.1.windows.1Release Notes
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/security/advisories/GHSA-9w66-8mq8-5vm8Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/msys2/MINGW-packages/pull/10461Issue TrackingPatch
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00018.html
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/functions/printf.htmlProduct
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202312-15
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/25/2Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://axcheron.github.io/exploit-101-format-strings/#writing-to-the-stackProduct
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/tag/v2.40.1.windows.1Release Notes
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/security/advisories/GHSA-9w66-8mq8-5vm8Vendor Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2023-25815?
CVE-2023-25815 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 3.3 (LOW). In Git for Windows, the Windows port of Git, no localized messages are shipped with the installer. As a consequence, Git is expected not to localize messages at all, and skips the gettext initializati...
How severe is CVE-2023-25815?
CVE-2023-25815 has been rated LOW with a CVSS base score of 3.3/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2023-25815?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Git For Windows Project Git For Windows, Fedoraproject Fedora.