What is CVE-2022-42906?

CVE-2022-42906 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in powerline-gitstatus (pip), affecting versions < 1.3.2. It is fixed in 1.3.2. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.

How severe is CVE-2022-42906?

CVE-2022-42906 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of powerline-gitstatus are affected by CVE-2022-42906?

powerline-gitstatus (pip) versions < 1.3.2 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2022-42906?

Yes. CVE-2022-42906 is fixed in 1.3.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2022-42906 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

What actually determines whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

CVE-2022-42906 in powerline-gitstatus

Q: How severe is CVE-2022-42906?

CVE-2022-42906 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Q: Which versions of powerline-gitstatus are affected by CVE-2022-42906?

powerline-gitstatus (pip) versions < 1.3.2 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2022-42906?

Yes. CVE-2022-42906 is fixed in 1.3.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2022-42906 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2022-42906?

Upgrade powerline-gitstatus to 1.3.2 or later.

Summary

Powerline Gitstatus vulnerable to arbitrary code execution

powerline-gitstatus (aka Powerline Gitstatus) before 1.3.2 allows arbitrary code execution. git repositories can contain per-repository configuration that changes the behavior of git, including running arbitrary commands. When using powerline-gitstatus, changing to a directory automatically runs git commands in order to display information about the current repository in the prompt. If an attacker can convince a user to change their current directory to one controlled by the attacker, such as in a shared filesystem or extracted archive, powerline-gitstatus will run arbitrary commands under the attacker's control. NOTE: this is similar to CVE-2022-20001.

Impact

Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command. Typical impact: arbitrary command execution in the application's environment.

CVE-2022-42906 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.3.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

powerline-gitstatus (< 1.3.2)

Security releases

powerline-gitstatus → 1.3.2 (pip)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

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Remediation advice

Upgrade powerline-gitstatus to 1.3.2 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-42906? CVE-2022-42906 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in powerline-gitstatus (pip), affecting versions < 1.3.2. It is fixed in 1.3.2. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.
How severe is CVE-2022-42906? CVE-2022-42906 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
Which versions of powerline-gitstatus are affected by CVE-2022-42906? powerline-gitstatus (pip) versions < 1.3.2 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2022-42906? Yes. CVE-2022-42906 is fixed in 1.3.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2022-42906 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
What actually determines whether CVE-2022-42906 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
How do I fix CVE-2022-42906? Upgrade powerline-gitstatus to 1.3.2 or later.