PHP_CodeSniffer gitblame report command injection via crafted filename

Impact

PHP_CodeSniffer versions before v3.13.6 and v4.0.2 contain a command injection vulnerability in the code creating the Gitblame, Hgblame and Svnblame report(s).

As a result, running PHP_CodeSniffer over untrusted files, for example, in a CI pipeline that scans pull requests, or on a developer machine reviewing third-party code, could result in attacker-controlled shell commands being executed when the Gitblame, Hgblame or Svnblame report(s) would process a file whose name contains shell metacharacters.

• Users using the default Full report, or any of the other non-*blame reports, are not affected.
• Users on a runtime platform which does not allow filenames to contain shell metacharacters, such as " and ;, are not affected.

Patched versions

The issue has been fixed in PHP_CodeSniffer v3.13.6 and v4.0.2. We recommend all users upgrade to these versions at their earliest convenience.

Workaround

Users of PHP_CodeSniffer who cannot upgrade immediately should ensure they do not use the Gitblame, Hgblame or the Svnblame reports when scanning untrusted code.

This is especially relevant for CI jobs, pre-commit or review tooling, automated review services, and any service that scans untrusted repositories or uploaded source trees.

Credits

Many thanks to both @Faze-up and @edorian for responsibly disclosing this vulnerability.

How can I report a security bug?

Please report security vulnerabilities privately via the "Security and quality" tab on the PHP_CodeSniffer repository.