CVE-2022-41953: Git GUI is a convenient graphical tool that comes with Git for Windows. Its target audience is users who are uncomfortable with using Git on the comma...

Description

Git GUI is a convenient graphical tool that comes with Git for Windows. Its target audience is users who are uncomfortable with using Git on the command-line. Git GUI has a function to clone repositories. Immediately after the local clone is available, Git GUI will automatically post-process it, among other things running a spell checker called `aspell.exe` if it was found. Git GUI is implemented as a Tcl/Tk script. Due to the unfortunate design of Tcl on Windows, the search path when looking for an executable _always includes the current directory_. Therefore, malicious repositories can ship with an `aspell.exe` in their top-level directory which is executed by Git GUI without giving the user a chance to inspect it first, i.e. running untrusted code. This issue has been addressed in version 2.39.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should avoid using Git GUI for cloning. If that is not a viable option, at least avoid cloning from untrusted sources.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

6.80%

93.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-426

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Git-Scm	Git	< 2.39.1

References

https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/commit/7360767e8dfc1895a932324079f7d45d7791d39fPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/pull/4219Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/security/advisories/GHSA-v4px-mx59-w99cPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://www.tcl.tk/man/tcl8.6/TclCmd/exec.html#M23Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/commit/7360767e8dfc1895a932324079f7d45d7791d39fPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/pull/4219Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/security/advisories/GHSA-v4px-mx59-w99cPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://www.tcl.tk/man/tcl8.6/TclCmd/exec.html#M23Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 17, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-41953?

Git GUI is a convenient graphical tool that comes with Git for Windows. Its target audience is users who are uncomfortable with using Git on the command-line. Git GUI has a function to clone repositories. Immediately after the local clone is available, Git GUI will automatically post-process it, among other things running a spell checker called `aspell.exe` if it was found. Git GUI is implemented as a Tcl/Tk script. Due to the unfortunate design of Tcl on Windows, the search path when looking for an executable _always includes the current directory_. Therefore, malicious repositories can ship with an `aspell.exe` in their top-level directory which is executed by Git GUI without giving the user a chance to inspect it first, i.e. running untrusted code. This issue has been addressed in version 2.39.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should avoid using Git GUI for cloning. If that is not a viable option, at least avoid cloning from untrusted sources.

How severe is CVE-2022-41953?

CVE-2022-41953 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 6.80% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-41953?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.