GHSA-3f7w-8rr8-f37f
**Target:** gitpython-developers/GitPython **Tested:** HEAD `07e80555` (2026-07-25), latest release 3.1.55, `git version 2.50.1` **Reported instances:** 2 exploitable, from a sweep of 14 unguarded call sites ## Summary GitPython blocks dangerous git options through `Git.check_unsafe_options()`, gated per method by an `allow_unsafe_options` parameter. That guard is applied **per call site**, so any API that forwards `**kwargs` into a git command without calling it passes caller-controlled options straight to git. A mechanical sweep of every method that forwards `**kwargs` into a `.git.<command>(...)` call found **14 sites with no guard**. Two reach a git option that takes a filesystem path: | # | Call site | git option | Impact | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | `IndexFile.checkout()` → `git checkout-index` | `--prefix=<path>` | arbitrary file **overwrite** with repository-controlled content | | 2 | `TagReference.create()` → `git tag` | `-F <file>` / `--file=<file>` | arbitrary file **read**, returned in-band | This is the same defect class already fixed in `Commit.count()` (GHSA-p538-c434-8v24), `Repo.archive()` and `Git.ls_remote()` (GHSA-956x-8gvw-wg5v). Both instances below are still present at HEAD. --- ## Instance 1 — `IndexFile.checkout()`: arbitrary file overwrite `git/index/base.py:1210` accepts `**kwargs` and forwards them with no guard: ```python def checkout(self, paths=None, force=False, fprogress=lambda *args: None, **kwargs): ... proc = self.repo.git.checkout_index(*args, **kwargs) # line 1331 ... proc = self.repo.git.checkout_index(args, **kwargs) # line 1349 ``` There is no `allow_unsafe_options` parameter and no `check_unsafe_options()` call in the method. `git checkout-index` accepts `--prefix=<string>`, prepended to every output path. It is not confined to the working tree, so an absolute prefix writes tracked file contents anywhere the process can write, and `-f` overwrites what is already there. ### Reproduction ```pytho
Properties
- ghsa_id
- GHSA-3f7w-8rr8-f37f
- severity
- high
- summary
- GitPython: Unguarded git option forwarding in IndexFile.checkout() and TagReference.create() enables arbitrary file overwrite and arbitrary file read
- cvss_score
- 8.1
- cve_id
- GHSA-3f7w-8rr8-f37f
- cvss_vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
- is_ghsa_only
- true
- ghsa_published
- 2026-08-03T20:09:56Z
- source_url
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-3f7w-8rr8-f37f
- ghsa_updated
- 2026-08-03T20:09:57Z
Related Entities (6)
VULNERABLE_TO (1)
AFFECTS (1)
HAS_WEAKNESS (3)
REPORTED_BY (1)
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