highCVSS 8.6Vulnerability

GHSA-cm62-gvxx-vmxx

## Summary Dulwich's `stash.py:pop()` function is vulnerable to symlink directory traversal, allowing an attacker to write arbitrary files outside the repository worktree when a victim pops a stash in a malicious repository. ## Root Cause The `pop()` function at `dulwich/stash.py:236` uses `os.path.exists(parent_dir)` to check if a parent directory exists before writing stashed files. `os.path.exists()` follows symlinks, so when an intermediate directory in the path is a symlink pointing outside the worktree (e.g., `link → ../../.git/hooks`), the check passes and subsequent file writes resolve through the symlink. The `validate_path()` function (line 228) only validates path component names against `INVALID_DOTNAMES` — it performs zero filesystem symlink detection. On dulwich 1.2.7 (latest release), `build_file_from_blob()` has no symlink protection whatsoever. ## Impact An attacker can craft a malicious repository that, when a victim clones it and performs a stash pop operation, writes attacker-controlled content to arbitrary filesystem locations. Writing to `.git/hooks/post-checkout` achieves Remote Code Execution on the victim's machine on the next git checkout operation. ## Attack Scenario 1. Attacker creates a repository with branch `main` containing `link` (symlink → `../../.git/hooks`) and branch `feature` containing `link/post-checkout` (executable payload) 2. Victim clones the repository (landing on `main` — symlink `link` exists in worktree) 3. Victim checks out `feature`, makes changes, runs `stash.push()` 4. Victim checks out `main` (restoring the `link` symlink) 5. Victim runs `stash.pop(0)` — stash contains `link/post-checkout` 6. `os.path.exists("link")` returns True (symlink to existing directory), `os.makedirs` skipped 7. `build_file_from_blob(blob, mode, "link/post-checkout")` → `open("link/post-checkout", "wb")` follows the intermediate symlink → payload written to `.git/hooks/post-checkout` 8. Next checkout operation triggers the hook → R

Properties

severity
high
summary
Dulwich: Symlink directory traversal in stash pop allows arbitrary file write via intermediate directory symlinks
cvss_score
8.6
retrieved_at
2026-10-02T19:33:52+00:00
ghsa_published
2026-10-02T18:52:53Z
source_url
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cm62-gvxx-vmxx
ghsa_updated
2026-10-02T18:52:55Z
ghsa_id
GHSA-cm62-gvxx-vmxx
last_source
GitHub Advisory Database
cve_id
GHSA-cm62-gvxx-vmxx
cvss_vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
signal_observed_at
2026-10-02T19:33:52+00:00
is_ghsa_only
true

Related Entities (5)

VULNERABLE_TO (1)

←[Software]pip/dulwich

AFFECTS (1)

→[Software]pip/dulwich

HAS_WEAKNESS (2)

→[Weakness]Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
→[Weakness]Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

REPORTED_BY (1)

→[Source]GitHub Advisory Database

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GHSA-cm62-gvxx-vmxx (CVSS 8.6) — Ninja Signal Threat Intelligence | Ninja Signal