CVE-2026-19590
Received Received - Intake

Code Execution via Malicious Git Hooks in OpenAI Codex Desktop

Publication date: 2026-09-01

Last updated on: 2026-09-01

Assigner: OAI

Description
OpenAI Codex Desktop for Windows and macOS could execute attacker-controlled Git hooks because automated Git operations trusted the repository's local core.hooksPath setting. If a user opens an attacker-prepared repository whose preserved .git/config points core.hooksPath to an attacker-controlled directory, Codex can run a malicious hook while processing the repository. The hook executes outside Codex's command sandbox, without user approval, and with the user's privileges, allowing it to read, change, or delete the user's files and access other resources available to the user's account. An ordinary Git clone does not preserve the attacker-controlled repository-local configuration required for exploitation.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-01
Last Modified
2026-09-01
Generated
2026-09-01
AI Q&A
2026-09-01
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-19590
EUVD
EUVD-2026-69393

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
openai codex *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-427 The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

OpenAI Codex Desktop for Windows and macOS is vulnerable to executing attacker-controlled Git hooks due to trusting the repository's local core.hooksPath setting. If a user opens a malicious repository with a preserved .git/config pointing core.hooksPath to an attacker-controlled directory, Codex will run a malicious hook during repository processing. This hook executes outside Codex's sandbox, without user approval, and with the user's privileges, potentially allowing file access or modification.

Detection Guidance

Check Git repositories for suspicious core.hooksPath settings in .git/config files. Use commands like 'git config --local core.hooksPath' to inspect local Git configurations. Look for unexpected paths pointing to attacker-controlled directories.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on your system with your user privileges. The malicious hook could read, modify, or delete your files, install malware, or access other resources tied to your account. It does not require user interaction beyond opening the repository in Codex.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or modification, violating GDPR's data protection principles or HIPAA's security requirements for protected health information. Organizations using Codex may face compliance breaches if sensitive data is exposed or altered due to this flaw.

Mitigation Strategies

Update OpenAI Codex to the latest version. Review Git repository configurations for unauthorized core.hooksPath settings. Avoid opening untrusted repositories in Codex until patched.

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