Vulnerability · Published Sep 12, 2023 · Assigned by eclipse

CVE-2023-4759Improper handling of case insensitive filesystems in Eclipse JGit allows arbitrary file write

High 8.8

In plain English

A high-severity security flaw in Eclipse JGit from Eclipse Foundation. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 2.2% (higher than 83% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)8.8High
Exploit odds (30 days)2.2%top 17.5% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

Arbitrary File Overwrite in Eclipse JGit <= 6.6.0 In Eclipse JGit, all versions <= 6.6.0.202305301015-r, a symbolic link present in a specially crafted git repository can be used to write a file to locations outside the working tree when this repository is cloned with JGit to a case-insensitive filesystem, or when a checkout from a clone of such a repository is performed on a case-insensitive filesystem. This can happen on checkout (DirCacheCheckout), merge (ResolveMerger via its WorkingTreeUpdater), pull (PullCommand using merge), and when applying a patch (PatchApplier). This can be exploited for remote code execution (RCE), for instance if the file written outside the working tree is a git filter that gets executed on a subsequent git command. The issue occurs only on case-insensitive filesystems, like the default filesystems on Windows and macOS. The user performing the clone or checkout must have the rights to create symbolic links for the problem to occur, and symbolic links must be enabled in the git configuration. Setting git configuration option core.symlinks = false before checking out avoids the problem. The issue was fixed in Eclipse JGit version 6.6.1.202309021850-r and 6.7.0.202309050840-r, available via Maven Central https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/eclipse/jgit/  and repo.eclipse.org https://repo.eclipse.org/content/repositories/jgit-releases/ . A backport is available in 5.13.3 starting from 5.13.3.202401111512-r. The JGit maintainers would like to thank RyotaK for finding and reporting this issue.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12jgitno fix listedDEBIAN-CVE-2023-4759
Debian:13jgit6.7.0-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-4759
Debian:14jgit6.7.0-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-4759
Mavenorg.eclipse.jgit:org.eclipse.jgit6.6.1.202309021850-rGHSA-3p86-9955-h393
Mavenorg.eclipse.jgit:org.eclipse.jgit5.13.3.202401111512-rGHSA-3p86-9955-h393
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSjgitno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-4759
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSjgitno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-4759
Ubuntu:25.10jgitno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-4759
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSjgitno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-4759
Ubuntu:26.10jgitno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-4759

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Eclipse Foundation Eclipse JGit 0.0.0 – through 6.6.0.202305301015-r

Weakness: CWE-59, CWE-178 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References