Arbitrary File Overwrite in Eclipse JGit
Arbitrary File Overwrite in Eclipse JGit <= 6.6.0
In Eclipse JGit, all versions <= 6.6.0.202305301015-r, a symbolic link present in a specially crafted git repository can be used to write a file to locations outside the working tree when this repository is cloned with JGit to a case-insensitive filesystem, or when a checkout from a clone of such a repository is performed on a case-insensitive filesystem.
This can happen on checkout (DirCacheCheckout), merge (ResolveMerger via its WorkingTreeUpdater), pull (PullCommand using merge), and when applying a patch (PatchApplier). This can be exploited for remote code execution (RCE), for instance if the file written outside the working tree is a git filter that gets executed on a subsequent git command.
The issue occurs only on case-insensitive filesystems, like the default filesystems on Windows and macOS. The user performing the clone or checkout must have the rights to create symbolic links for the problem to occur, and symbolic links must be enabled in the git configuration.
Setting git configuration option core.symlinks = false before checking out avoids the problem.
The issue was fixed in Eclipse JGit version 6.6.1.202309021850-r and 6.7.0.202309050840-r, available via Maven Central https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/eclipse/jgit/ and repo.eclipse.org https://repo.eclipse.org/content/repositories/jgit-releases/ . A backport is available in 5.13.3 starting from 5.13.3.202401111512-r.
The JGit maintainers would like to thank RyotaK for finding and reporting this issue.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.eclipse.jgit:org.eclipse.jgit | >= 6.0.0.202111291000-r, < 6.6.1.202309021850-r, < 5.13.3.202401111512-r | 6.6.1.202309021850-r, 5.13.3.202401111512-r |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4759
- https://github.com/eclipse-jgit/jgit/issues/30
- https://git.eclipse.org/c/jgit/jgit.git
- https://git.eclipse.org/c/jgit/jgit.git/commit/?id=9072103f3b3cf64dd12ad2949836ab98f62dabf1
- https://gitlab.eclipse.org/security/vulnerability-reports/-/issues/11
- https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/technology.jgit/releases/5.13.3
- https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/technology.jgit/releases/6.6.1
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-178- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
org.eclipse.jgit:org.eclipse.jgit- Disclosed
- 18.09.2023
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 13:20
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-3p86-9955-h393 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: org.eclipse.jgit:org.eclipse.jgit
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Java / Kotlin (Maven)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 3
- First → latest
- 02.2020 05.2025
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 1
- High 1
- Medium 1
Disclosures per year
- 2020: 1
- 2021: 0
- 2022: 0
- 2023: 1
- 2024: 0
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 0
-
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