CVE-2021-21300
Description
A flaw was found in git, in which a specially-crafted repository that contains a symbolic link may cause just-checked out script to be executed while cloning.
Statement
This vulnerability affects case-insensitive file systems, therefore typical Linux scenarios should be safe. However, as per upstream, exploitation is even possible on Linux under certain circumstances.
Red Hat CodeReady Studio 12 is not affected by this flaw because Jboss Forge Addon uses jgit which is a different (Java) git implementation than git itself.
In RHEL-8.6 and above, we currently provide git-2.31.x and later versions, which are not impacted by CVE-2021-21300. The vulnerability affects versions prior git-2.30.1.
Mitigation
If symbolic link support is disabled in Git (e.g. via git config --global core.symlinks false), the described attack won't work. Likewise, if no clean/smudge filters such as Git LFS are configured globally (i.e. before cloning), the attack is foiled. As always, it is best to avoid cloning repositories from untrusted sources.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.5 | 7.5 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | Network | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | High | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | None | N/A |
| User Interaction | Required | Required | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | High | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | High | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | High | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality,Integrity,Access Control
Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories; Modify Files or Directories; Bypass Protection Mechanism
An attacker may be able to traverse the file system to unintended locations and read or overwrite the contents of unexpected files. If the files are used for a security mechanism then an attacker may be able to bypass the mechanism.
Other
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Windows simple shortcuts, sometimes referred to as soft links, can be exploited remotely since a ".LNK" file can be uploaded like a normal file. This can enable remote execution.
Acknowledgements
Red Hat would like to thank Matheus Tavares for reporting this issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
