Highly exploitable, CVE-2020-26233 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Analyzed
Last updated: 🕝 18 Feb 2021, 14:39 UTC
Originally published on: 🕗 08 Dec 2020, 20:15 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 71 days
CVSS Release: version 3
nvd@nist.gov
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
CVE-2020-26233: Git Credential Manager Core (GCM Core) is a secure Git credential helper built on .NET Core that runs on Windows and macOS. In Git Credential Manager Core before version 2.0.289, when recursively cloning a Git repository on Windows with submodules, Git will first clone the top-level repository and then recursively clone all submodules by starting new Git processes from the top-level working directory. If a malicious git.exe executable is present in the top-level repository then this binary will be started by Git Credential Manager Core when attempting to read configuration, and not git.exe as found on the %PATH%. This only affects GCM Core on Windows, not macOS or Linux-based distributions. GCM Core version 2.0.289 contains the fix for this vulnerability, and is available from the project's GitHub releases page. GCM Core 2.0.289 is also bundled in the latest Git for Windows release; version 2.29.2(3). As a workaround, users should avoid recursively cloning untrusted repositories with the --recurse-submodules option.
The exploitability of CVE-2020-26233 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
The exploitability of CVE-2020-26233 is influenced by multiple factors. Security teams should analyze system configurations and apply appropriate countermeasures to mitigate threats.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2020-26233, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2020-26233, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.
EPSS Score: 0.14% (probability of exploit)
EPSS Percentile: 51.11%
(lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 48.89% of others.
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