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check_refname_format allows refs with components that begin with -, even though `git tag` does not

From
DODemi M. Obenour <athena@invisiblethingslab.com>
Date
Nov 10, 2020, 19:32 UTC
Message-ID
<c926193b-a328-7562-6d4b-1ab2765c8cca@invisiblethingslab.com>

If I try to create a Git tag with a name beginning with `-`, Git complains. However, Git does not check that a repository does not have tags containing `-`. This almost led to a vulnerability in the QubesOS `verify-git-tag` script. Fortunately, this was not exploitable, as neither `git tag -v`, `git verify-tag --raw`, nor `git describe` have options that are useful to an attacker.

Since this could cause vulnerabilities in other programs, I initially reported it as an embargoed security bug, but was told to post it publicly.

The best idea I had for a fix is to print names beginning with `-` using the fully-qualified form, such as "refs/tags/-a". Also, `--` is used as a delimiter in many commands, and can’t be escaped, so disallowing it might be a good idea.

In the long run, I hope to see leading dashes banned entirely, but backwards compatibility might prevent that.

Sincerely,
Demi
Next: Junio C Hamano
Message 1 of 10 in “check_refname_format allows refs with components that begin with -, even though `git tag` does not”
  1. Demi M. ObenourNov 10, 2020
  2. Junio C HamanoNov 10, 2020
  3. Jeff KingNov 10, 2020
  4. 2/3 rev-parse: put all options under the "-" checkJeff King, Nov 10, 2020
  5. 1/3 rev-parse: don't accept options after dashdashJeff King, Nov 10, 2020
  6. 3/3 rev-parse: handle --end-of-optionsJeff King, Nov 10, 2020
  7. Junio C HamanoNov 10, 2020
  8. Demi M. ObenourNov 10, 2020
  9. Jeff KingNov 11, 2020
  10. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonNov 10, 2020

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