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TI-2022-22723 Aliases CVE-2022-45939GHSA-m57w-hf24-4j3h

GNU Emacs through 28.2 allows attackers to execute commands via shell metacharacters in…

Priority LOW 37CWE-78Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-78.

Summary

GNU Emacs through 28.2 allows attackers to execute commands via shell metacharacters in the name of a source-code file, because lib-src/etags.c uses the system C library function in its implementation of the ctags program. For example, a victim may use the "ctags *" command (suggested in the ctags documentation) in a situation where the current working directory has contents that depend on untrusted input.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00673 52nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 3 advisoriesRed Hat: 5 fixed, 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:emacs:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*up to 28.2VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*10.0VulnerableDebian
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.0VulnerableDebian
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:36:*:*:*:*:*:*:*36VulnerableFedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*37VulnerableFedoraproject
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:emacs:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 28.2 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
  • cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
  • cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:36:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 36 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
  • cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:37:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 37 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject

Remediation

Red Hat 3 advisories

  • RHSA-2024:1103 Released 2024-03-05 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    emacs security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6) emacs-1:26.1-7.el8_6.3, emacs-common-1:26.1-7.el8_6.3, emacs-lucid-1:26.1-7.el8_6.3 +2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) emacs-1:26.1-7.el8_6.3, emacs-filesystem-1:26.1-7.el8_6.3
  • RHSA-2023:3042 Released 2023-05-16 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    emacs security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) emacs-1:26.1-9.el8, emacs-common-1:26.1-9.el8, emacs-lucid-1:26.1-9.el8 +2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) emacs-1:26.1-9.el8, emacs-filesystem-1:26.1-9.el8
  • RHSA-2023:2366 Released 2023-05-09 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    emacs security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) emacs-1:27.2-8.el9, emacs-common-1:27.2-8.el9, emacs-filesystem-1:27.2-8.el9 +2

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2023:3042
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2023:2366
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6)Fixed RHSA-2024:1103
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2023:3042
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6)Fixed RHSA-2024:1103

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-45939
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m57w-hf24-4j3h
  3. 2026-10-08 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile

References

Patch 1

Advisory 4

Sources

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