Git's `git apply` overwriting paths outside the working tree

Description

Git, a revision control system, is vulnerable to path traversal prior to versions 2.39.2, 2.38.4, 2.37.6, 2.36.5, 2.35.7, 2.34.7, 2.33.7, 2.32.6, 2.31.7, and 2.30.8. By feeding a crafted input to `git apply`, a path outside the working tree can be overwritten as the user who is running `git apply`. A fix has been prepared and will appear in v2.39.2, v2.38.4, v2.37.6, v2.36.5, v2.35.7, v2.34.7, v2.33.7, v2.32.6, v2.31.7, and v2.30.8. As a workaround, use `git apply --stat` to inspect a patch before applying; avoid applying one that creates a symbolic link and then creates a file beyond the symbolic link.

Timeline

Scores

EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)

1.1% · top 33% of all CVEs (11 Nov 2026)

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: partial

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.2.

Affected products

• git · git

  • affected >= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2
  • affected >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.4
  • affected >= 2.37.0, < 2.37.6
  • affected >= 2.36.0, < 2.36.5
  • affected >= 2.35.0, < 2.35.7
  • affected >= 2.34.0, < 2.34.7
  • affected >= 2.33.0, < 2.33.7
  • affected >= 2.32.0, < 2.32.6
  • affected >= 2.31.0, < 2.31.7
  • affected < 2.30.8

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

• CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
• CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
• EUVD EUVD-2023-28012 (opens in a new tab)
• OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
• GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
• CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)

Badge for a README or a ticket

[![CVE-2023-23946](https://cveledger.app/badge/CVE-2023-23946.svg)](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2023-23946)

Record last updated 8 Oct 2026, 21:14 UTC.