CVE-2023-29011 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE article provides detailed information about a vulnerability in Git for Windows's

connect.exe

config file, which is susceptible to malicious placing.

Understanding CVE-2023-29011

This section delves into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to CVE-2023-29011.

What is CVE-2023-29011?

Git for Windows has an executable named

connect.exe

that is vulnerable to malicious file placement due to a hard-coded file location.

The Impact of CVE-2023-29011

The vulnerability in

connect.exe

could allow authenticated users on multi-user machines to place malicious files, leading to a high-risk scenario for confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-29011

This section dives deeper into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

connect.exe

in Git for Windows has a hard-coded config file location (

C:\etc\connectrc

) that allows authenticated users to place malicious files, presenting a serious security risk.

Affected Systems and Versions

Git for Windows versions prior to v2.40.1 are affected by this vulnerability, making them susceptible to malicious file placement.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by placing malicious files in the

C:\etc\

directory, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines immediate steps to take and long-term security practices to mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2023-29011.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update Git for Windows to version v2.40.1 or later to patch the vulnerability. Additionally, creating the

etc

folder on all drives where Git commands are run can help prevent malicious file placement.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance security in multi-user environments, it is recommended to restrict read/write access to sensitive directories and regularly monitor for any malicious files like

<drive>:\etc\connectrc

.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of patches and updates for Git for Windows, specifically upgrading to version v2.40.1 or above to mitigate the vulnerability.