CVE-2024-38448: GNU Global · Code Injection
Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.1 Critical.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:54 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 44% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Affects
- GNU Global through 6.6.12
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Jun 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
To mitigate CVE-2024-38448, organizations should immediately audit their use of GNU Global and identify any instances where the dbpath (-d) parameter can be influenced by untrusted users or inputs. Restrict usage of the dbpath option to trusted, sanitized inputs only, avoiding any shell metacharacters or unescaped user data. Employ input validation and sanitization techniques to ensure that dbpath values do not contain characters that could be interpreted by the shell. Where possible, run GNU Global in environments with least privilege, limiting the impact of potential exploitation. Monitor for unusual process executions or shell commands originating from GNU Global instances. Until an official patch is released, consider isolating GNU Global usage within containerized or sandboxed environments to contain potential compromise. Stay updated with vendor advisories and apply patches promptly once available. Additionally, implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running GNU Global to untrusted networks.
Description
htags in GNU Global through 6.6.12 allows code execution in situations where dbpath (aka -d) is untrusted, because shell metacharacters may be used.