GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm tracexec has `env` command argument injection via environment variables starting with dash in traced exec events
Attackers can inject arguments into the env command via environment variables, potentially leading to code execution if users copy and paste the reconstructed command line.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm?
GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm is a command injection vulnerability in tracexec, published on 13 Oct 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Impact
For tracexec's command line reconstruction feature, when a traced process executes another process with a environment variable where the key starts with a dash, tracexec incorrectly shows its commandline where such environment variables could cause argument injection for the env command.
Such an injection is completely at the UI level unless the user tries to copy the command line with the injection and paste it into a terminal to execute it.
A minimal POC is executing env -- -a=b bash --norc in tracexec's TUI mode. The resulting command line of env executing bash would be env -a bash -a=b _=/usr/bin/env /usr/bin/bash --norc in tracexec's TUI, which injects -a=b into env's arguments.
This has very limited effect for security. A local adversarial could leverage this to make tracexec show an inaccurate reconstructed commandline for their executed command. If the user of tracexec decides to copy and run the reconstructed commandline,
there could be injection for env's --block-signal, --default-signal, --ignore-signal, --split-string, --unset, --chdir, --argv0 arguments.
Patches
The fix is https://github.com/kxxt/tracexec/pull/118. Users are advised to upgrade to 0.14.0.
Workarounds
Don't blindly paste and execute commands copied from tracexec that contains environment variable where the key starts with a dash.
Which versions are affected by GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including tracexec.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
tracexec crates.io | All versions | 0.14.0 |
tracexec crates.io | All versions | 0.14.0 |
How do I fix GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm?
Upgrade tracexec to 0.14.0 or later.
Upgrade, and pass arguments to programs as a list instead of through a shell. More about Command injection.
Is GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of GHSA-6fgx-x7m2-74qm in the wild and no public exploit code.