A medium-severity vulnerability has been identified in Gitoxide, an implementation of Git written in Rust. This vulnerability allows gix-worktree-state to specify 0777 permissions when checking out executable files, which can lead to world-writable files under certain conditions. The issue is particularly concerning because it may undermine the security intended by umask settings.
The vulnerability, officially recognized as CVE-2025-22620, has a CVSS score of 5.0, categorizing it as medium severity. The risk to organizations includes potential unauthorized modifications to executable files, which could facilitate further attacks or exploitation.
Despite being classified as medium severity, organizations are encouraged to promptly address this vulnerability. It is crucial for maintaining the integrity of systems utilizing Gitoxide, especially when handling sensitive code or executable files.
The vulnerability is fixed in version 0.17.0, and organizations using earlier versions should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate risks associated with world-writable files.
Known exploit availability has been confirmed through GitHub, with a PoC found in a repository designed to reproduce the vulnerability. This reinforces the urgency for organizations to take action.
Organizations should also consider reviewing their overall security posture as part of a broader vulnerability management program.
Vulnerability Details
The official description of CVE-2025-22620 states: 'gitoxide is an implementation of git written in Rust. Prior to 0.17.0, gix-worktree-state specifies 0777 permissions when checking out executable files, intending that the umask will restrict them appropriately. But one of the strategies it uses to set permissions is not subject to the umask. This causes files in a repository to be world-writable in some situations. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.17.0.'
The vulnerability type is classified under CWE-281 (Improper Preservation of Permissions) and CWE-687 (Expression of a Privilege). The CVSS score of 5 signifies medium severity, indicating a moderate level of risk.
The publication date of this vulnerability was January 20, 2025, and the last modification occurred on April 15, 2026.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from the way Gitoxide manages file permissions during the checkout process. Specifically, while it intends to use the umask to restrict permissions, certain strategies employed do not honor this, leading to files being world-writable.
The attack vector is local, meaning that an attacker must have local access to the system to exploit this vulnerability. The attack complexity is low, indicating that the exploit can be executed easily by an attacker with sufficient privileges.
Privileges required are low, as the attacker does not need elevated permissions to exploit this vulnerability. User interaction is required, which means that the attacker may need to convince the user to perform actions that would trigger the vulnerability.
The impact on confidentiality is none, but the integrity impact is high, as unauthorized modifications to executable files can lead to further exploitation or compromise of the system.
Availability impact is none, meaning the vulnerability does not affect the system's availability.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world risk of CVE-2025-22620 lies in the potential for attackers to modify executable files. This could lead to the execution of malicious code, unauthorized access, or further compromise of the system. The blast radius is significant, especially in environments where Gitoxide is deployed to manage critical applications or services.
Organizations should assess their exposure to this vulnerability, especially those using Gitoxide in sensitive areas. Given the medium CVSS score, immediate action is warranted to prevent exploitation.
The urgency for remediation is classified as medium, suggesting that organizations should schedule the update to version 0.17.0 as part of their patch management cycle.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected version of Gitoxide is prior to 0.17.0. Users running earlier versions are at risk and should upgrade to the latest version to mitigate the vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
To address this vulnerability, organizations should update Gitoxide to version 0.17.0 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, consider implementing file permission restrictions at the operating system level as a temporary workaround.
Additionally, organizations should conduct a review of their security practices, focusing on permission management and monitoring for unauthorized changes to executable files.
Continuous penetration testing can also help identify similar vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor file permissions of executable files within their repositories. Look for any unauthorized changes or anomalies in permissions that could indicate exploitation.
Log indicators related to file access should also be analyzed for suspicious activities, such as unexpected modifications or access by unauthorized users.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-22620 highlights the need for secure file permission management in software development practices. It represents a trend where inadequate permission settings can lead to severe integrity issues.
Security teams should take lessons from this incident to improve their own practices, ensuring that file permissions are correctly managed to prevent unauthorized access.
Penetration testing methodology should also be regularly reviewed to adapt to evolving threats.
Organizations are encouraged to continuously assess their security posture and incorporate lessons learned from vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-22620 into their defense strategies to stay ahead of potential threats.
A robust vulnerability management program will play a critical role in identifying and mitigating future risks.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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