CVE-2022-41903 Integer overflow in `git archive`, `git log --format` leading to RCE in git

Critical 9.8 Published 17 Jan 2023 Updated 10 Mar 2025

An integer overflow in Git's log formatting allows arbitrary code execution when processing crafted commit formats or archives.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2022-41903?

CVE-2022-41903 is a critical vulnerability in git, published on 17 Jan 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Git is distributed revision control system. `git log` can display commits in an arbitrary format using its `--format` specifiers. This functionality is also exposed to `git archive` via the `export-subst` gitattribute. When processing the padding operators, there is a integer overflow in `pretty.c::format_and_pad_commit()` where a `size_t` is stored improperly as an `int`, and then added as an offset to a `memcpy()`. This overflow can be triggered directly by a user running a command which invokes the commit formatting machinery (e.g., `git log --format=...`). It may also be triggered indirectly through git archive via the export-subst mechanism, which expands format specifiers inside of files within the repository during a git archive. This integer overflow can result in arbitrary heap writes, which may result in arbitrary code execution. The problem has been patched in the versions published on 2023-01-17, going back to v2.30.7. Users are advised to upgrade. Users who are unable to upgrade should disable `git archive` in untrusted repositories. If you expose git archive via `git daemon`, disable it by running `git config --global daemon.uploadArch false`.

Weakness: CWE-190

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-41903?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Git-Scm Git.

How do I fix CVE-2022-41903?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

Is CVE-2022-41903 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-41903 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.

Sources

Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2022-41903, AZL-13026, CLEANSTART-2026-NZ77046, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-41903, GHSA-475x-2q3q-hvwq, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-41903.