CVE-2023-51664 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.3) CWE-74 vulnerability in tj-actions/changed-files. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2023-51664 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
tj-actions/changed-files command injection in output filenames
Real-World Exposure
tj-actions/changed-filesReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects GitHub Actions packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
tj-actions/changed-files is a Github action to retrieve all files and directories. Prior to 41.0.0, the tj-actions/changed-files workflow allows for command injection in changed filenames, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code and potentially leak secrets. This issue may lead to arbitrary command execution in the GitHub Runner. This vulnerability has been addressed in version 41.0.0. Users are advised to upgrade.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦GitHub Actions | tj-actions/changed-files | all versions | 41 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for tj-actions/changed-files. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update tj-actions/changed-files to 41 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-51664 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2023-51664 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2023-51664. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-51664 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2023-51664 across GitHub Actions dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.