Overview
The CVE-2025-11148 vulnerability is a serious security flaw that affects all versions of the `check-branches` package. This package, designed to confirm the absence of conflicts in git branches, has an inherent flaw that can be exploited for command injection. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous due to the package’s widespread use in both local and CI environments. Its high CVSS severity score of 9.8 reflects just how critical this issue is, with potential outcomes including a complete system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-11148
Severity: Critical (9.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise, potential for data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
check-branches | All versions
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by taking advantage of the fact that `check-branches` trusts branch names as plain text and spawns git commands by concatenating user input. As users can create branches remotely via pull requests or through privileged access to a repository, they can craft branch names that, when concatenated, become malicious commands. These commands can then be executed to compromise the system or leak data.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited by creating a malicious branch name:
$ git checkout -b "$(printenv > /tmp/env_dump)"In this example, the branch name `$(printenv > /tmp/env_dump)` will be evaluated as a command when concatenated into the `git checkout` command. This would dump the contents of the environment variables into a file at `/tmp/env_dump`, which could include sensitive information.
Mitigation
Impacted users should apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the interim, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation measure. It’s also advisable to sanitize user inputs, especially branch names, to prevent command injection.
