CVE-2025-48385

What it actually does

Insufficient validation of advertised bundle URIs during Git clone operations allows a remote server to perform protocol injection, causing the client to write attacker-controlled bundle content to an arbitrary filesystem location under the adversary's control, which can result in arbitrary code execution.

Why it matters to the business

Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution on developer workstations during repository cloning operations, enabling supply-chain compromise, credential theft, or persistent malware in source-code environments; the issue has been public for over a year with low but rising exploit probability.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker hosts a malicious Git server that advertises a crafted bundle URI. When a victim performs a clone (potentially after social engineering or via recursive submodule clones), the client fetches the bundle without adequate validation. Protocol injection writes the attacker-controlled content to a location chosen by the adversary, achieving code execution. The vulnerability is known as the Git Link Following Vulnerability.

How to fix it

Upgrade Git to one of the fixed versions: v2.43.7, v2.44.4, v2.45.4, v2.46.4, v2.47.3, v2.48.2, v2.49.1, or v2.50.1. Disable the bundle.heuristic configuration option and avoid recursive clones with submodules where possible.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify installed Git version is at or above a fixed release; confirm bundle.heuristic is disabled in global and repository configs; test cloning a repository that advertises bundles to ensure no unexpected file writes occur outside the intended clone directory.

Typical attack path

1. Attacker configures a malicious Git remote that advertises a bundle URI via the bundle.heuristic mechanism
2. Victim is induced to clone the repository (via social engineering or recursive submodule clone)
3. Git client fetches the advertised bundle without sufficient validation
4. Protocol injection causes the fetched bundle to be written to an adversary-controlled filesystem path
5. Execution of attacker-supplied content results in arbitrary code execution on the client

How to detect it

Review Git client logs for unexpected bundle-uri fetch operations or protocol commands; inspect filesystem artifacts written outside expected clone directories during clone operations; correlate with process execution of git immediately following network activity to external repositories.

• bundle-uri
• bundle.heuristic
• git clone.*--recursive

What your security team should do

• Immediately upgrade all developer and CI/CD systems to a fixed Git version
• Audit and disable bundle.heuristic where not required
• Disable recursive submodule clones in organizational policies and tooling
• Monitor internal package repositories and developer workstations for outdated Git binaries