# CVE-2022-23642: Code Injection in Sourcegraph

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by manipulating git configuration via the gitserver service in Sourcegraph deployments.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Feb 2022
- **Updated:** 22 Apr 2025

## What is CVE-2022-23642?

CVE-2022-23642 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in sourcegraph, published on 18 Feb 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Sourcegraph is a code search and navigation engine. Sourcegraph prior to version 3.37 is vulnerable to remote code execution in the `gitserver` service. The service acts as a git exec proxy, and fails to properly restrict calling `git config`. This allows an attacker to set the git `core.sshCommand` option, which sets git to use the specified command instead of ssh when they need to connect to a remote system. Exploitation of this vulnerability depends on how Sourcegraph is deployed. An attacker able to make HTTP requests to internal services like gitserver is able to exploit it. This issue is patched in Sourcegraph version 3.37. As a workaround, ensure that requests to gitserver are properly protected.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23642?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sourcegraph Sourcegraph.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23642?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-23642 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-23642 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-23642 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PoC for Sourcegraph Gitserver < 3.37.0 RCE (CVE-2022-23642) (github_poc): https://github.com/Altelus1/CVE-2022-23642
- Sourcegraph gitserver sshCommand RCE (metasploit)
- Sourcegraph Gitserver 3.36.3 - Remote Code Execution (RCE) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in sourcegraph

- [CVE-2022-41943](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41943/): Incorrect default permissions found in Sourcegraph (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2022-41942](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41942/): Sourcegraph vulnerable to Comand Injection via gitserver (high 7.9)
- [CVE-2022-29171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-29171/): Remote Code Execution in sourcegraph (medium 6.6)
- [CVE-2022-23643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23643/): Side-channel attack in Sourcegraph Code Monitors (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2021-43823](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43823/): Side-channel attack in Sourcegraph (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23642 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23642 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in sourcegraph, published on 18 Feb 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-23642 exists.

Affected product: sourcegraph. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23642/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23642/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23642
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23642
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23642

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23642/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.