vulnerability / NVI-00015019 / Revision 1
go-git: Worktree operations may follow symlinks
GitHub lists this reviewed advisory for github.com/go-git/go-git/v5, github.com/go-git/go-git/v6. Published version ranges and source prerequisites are shown below; this is not an inspection of a visitor’s application.
This report has not inspected your inventory, configuration, deployed build, reachability or evidence. A catalog listing and a severity score do not establish exposure or compromise.
01 / Meaning
Why it matters
Published affected context helps an owner decide what evidence to gather. This report has not examined your application.
7.1 high
GitHub source severity; exploitability and local consequence require separate evidence.
As of · GitHub Advisory Database
02 / Applicability
The affected context
Affected versions, configuration prerequisites and known exclusions are public. Confirm each one against the deployed service.
github.com/go-git/go-git/v5
source listed<= 5.19.1
## Impact A symlink traversal issue in `go-git` could allow worktree operations to modify files outside the intended worktree path. The `worktreeFilesystem` wrapper rejected dangerous path strings, including paths containing `.git`, parent-directory components, or control characters. However, it did not prevent filesystem operations from following symbolic links that were already present in the worktree. As a result, a path that is safe when evaluated as a string could still resolve into the repository's Git metadata directory. For example, if `s` is a symbolic link to `.git`, writing to `s/config` would modify `.git/config`. A symbolic link at the final path component could also be followed. For example, if `s` points directly to `.git/config`, opening `s` for writing with truncation could overwrite the repository configuration. Exploitation requires an attacker to be able to introduce or control a symbolic link in the worktree and cause the application to perform a write through that path. Applications using `storage/memory` for their Storer, or `go-billy/memfs` for their `Worktree`, are not affected by this vulnerability. ## Patches The issue has been addressed by making
github.com/go-git/go-git/v6
source listed<= 6.0.0-alpha.4
## Impact A symlink traversal issue in `go-git` could allow worktree operations to modify files outside the intended worktree path. The `worktreeFilesystem` wrapper rejected dangerous path strings, including paths containing `.git`, parent-directory components, or control characters. However, it did not prevent filesystem operations from following symbolic links that were already present in the worktree. As a result, a path that is safe when evaluated as a string could still resolve into the repository's Git metadata directory. For example, if `s` is a symbolic link to `.git`, writing to `s/config` would modify `.git/config`. A symbolic link at the final path component could also be followed. For example, if `s` points directly to `.git/config`, opening `s` for writing with truncation could overwrite the repository configuration. Exploitation requires an attacker to be able to introduce or control a symbolic link in the worktree and cause the application to perform a write through that path. Applications using `storage/memory` for their Storer, or `go-billy/memfs` for their `Worktree`, are not affected by this vulnerability. ## Patches The issue has been addressed by making
03 / Response
What to do next
- investigate
Identify the exact component and deployed version, examine the linked publisher’s conditions, and retain evidence of any mitigation.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database
A fixed release is not deployment evidence.
Check current vendor support and compatibility. After making a change, verify the deployed build and relevant runtime conditions. Keep the evidence, owner and time. An updated lockfile alone does not prove what is running.
04 / Limits
What this report cannot establish
- Customer inventory, deployment, reachability and exploitation have not been inspected.
05 / Provenance
Sources you can inspect
Each assertion retains its source. Mirrored records may repeat one underlying publisher; additional links are not independent corroboration.
- GHSA-hc8v-wwc9-vgxm ↗
GitHub Advisory Database · vendor advisory
Observed . GitHub Advisory Database; CC-BY-4.0. Each advisory links its original attribution. Null normalizes fields.
Public revision history
Only published revisions appear here. Routine fetches do not create a material-change event.
- Revision 1 ·
First indexed by Null; source disclosure date is shown separately.