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NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2021-21237: Git LFS can execute a Git binary from the current directory on Windows

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.45% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs (Go) 2.13.2, 1.5.1-0.20210113180018-fc664697ed2c.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs (Go) 2.13.2, 1.5.1-0.20210113180018-fc664697ed2c or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Git LFS is a command line extension for managing large files with Git. On Windows, if Git LFS operates on a malicious repository with a git.bat or git.exe file in the current directory, that program would be executed, permitting the attacker to execute arbitrary code. This does not affect Unix systems. This is the result of an incomplete fix for CVE-2020-27955. This issue occurs because on Windows, Go includes (and prefers) the current directory when the name of a command run does not contain a directory separator. Other than avoiding untrusted repositories or using a different operating system, there is no workaround. This is fixed in v2.13.2.

Published
Jan 15, 2021
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.4% · 39th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.4%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
7.8
CNA · GitHub_M
7.2
0.6 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

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  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
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  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
git large file storage projectgit large file storage

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • git-lfs git-lfs

    • < 2.13.2affected

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • git large file storage project git large file storagebefore 2.13.2

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Gogithub.com/git-lfs/git-lfsbefore 2.13.22.13.2
Gogithub.com/git-lfs/git-lfsbefore 1.5.1-0.20210113180018-fc664697ed2c1.5.1-0.20210113180018-fc664697ed2c

Same product

git large file storage project: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2020-27955Git LFS 2.12.0 allows Remote Code Execution.
    64This week
  • CVE-2017-17831GitHub Git LFS before 2.1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via an ssh URL with an initial dash character in the…
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2022-24826Git LFS can execute a binary from the current directory on Windows
    32Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Go:github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs1.5.1-0.20210113180018-fc664697ed2cPackage registry (OSV)
Go:github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs2.13.2Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-426 · Untrusted Search Path

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

References

Show all references (3 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records