Description
libgit2 versions v0.27.0 through v1.9.0 built with the libssh2 SSH backend (USE_SSH=libssh2) contain a shell command injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on an SSH server by supplying a repository path containing unescaped shell metacharacters such as single quotes, semicolons, or pipes. The gen_proto() function in ssh_libssh2.c inserts the repository path directly into a shell command string without escaping special characters before passing it to libssh2_channel_exec(), enabling an attacker to craft a malicious submodule URL in a .gitmodules file that, when processed during a recursive clone, causes the remote server's shell to interpret injected commands under the victim's SSH user account.
Published: 2026-08-11
Score: 9.4 Critical
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Libgit2
Libgit2 libgit2
Vendors & Products Libgit2
Libgit2 libgit2

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 21:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description libgit2 versions v0.27.0 through v1.9.0 built with the libssh2 SSH backend (USE_SSH=libssh2) contain a shell command injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on an SSH server by supplying a repository path containing unescaped shell metacharacters such as single quotes, semicolons, or pipes. The gen_proto() function in ssh_libssh2.c inserts the repository path directly into a shell command string without escaping special characters before passing it to libssh2_channel_exec(), enabling an attacker to craft a malicious submodule URL in a .gitmodules file that, when processed during a recursive clone, causes the remote server's shell to interpret injected commands under the victim's SSH user account.
Title libgit2 v0.27.0-v1.9.0 Shell Command Injection via ssh_libssh2 Backend
Weaknesses CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.6, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 9.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-12T12:48:30.674Z

Reserved: 2026-04-08T20:02:31.343Z

Link: CVE-2026-5917

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-12T12:48:26.831Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-11T22:17:37.390

Modified: 2026-08-12T13:17:23.147

Link: CVE-2026-5917

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-12T19:30:08Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-78

    Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')