GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in gitpython. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for gitpython — see the affected versions and patch details below.
GitPython vulnerable to Remote Code Execution due to improper user input validation
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,567 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
gitpythonReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
All versions of package gitpython are vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) due to improper user input validation, which makes it possible to inject a maliciously crafted remote URL into the clone command. Exploiting this vulnerability is possible because the library makes external calls to git without sufficient sanitization of input arguments.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | gitpython | all versions | 3.1.30pip install --upgrade 'gitpython==3.1.30' |
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 gitpython, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update gitpython to 3.1.30 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Across all supported releases of Red Hat OpenStack Platform the usage of a compromised GitPython API (clone_from()) is quite limited. The only people capable of exploiting this vulnerability are system administrators. For this reason, the impact has been downgraded to medium. The impact to Red Hat OpenStack Platform…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Satellite 6.13 for RHEL 8 | python-gitpython-0:3.1.32-1.el8pc | RHSA-2023:5931 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-hcpj-qp55-gfph across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.