CVE-2026-88066

Claude Desktop Windows project opening can execute a planted Git binary

Anthropic · Claude Desktop on Windows

First documented disclosure · Review checkpoint

Summary

Opening a malicious project can run its git.exe.

Severity and exploitation evidence

High · 7.5/10 · CVSS 4.0. Severity source.

Exploitation not established: Reviewed sources do not establish malicious exploitation or confirmed victims.

Exploitation evidence source

Technical severity is not a measure of observed attacks or of risk to your deployment. Attempts, demonstrations, and successful compromise retain the qualifications in the source.

How the weakness works

uv_spawn resolves a nonabsolute git.exe through the working directory before system directories.

Conditions required

A malicious git.exe in a project directory that the user opens, such as a cloned repository.

Potential impact

Code execution with the desktop application’s privileges.

Affected versions and configurations

Claude Desktop on Windows before 1.8089.0.

Fix and mitigation status

1.8089.0.

Practical next steps

Verify the installed build; standard auto-update received the fix. Manually managed deployments should update before opening untrusted projects.

Operating lesson

Use trusted absolute executable paths; opening a repository can cross an execution boundary.

Evidence and limits

Anthropic published this exact GHSA/CVE mapping October 13. CVE Program API/cvelistV5 returned 404 and NVD returned zero results October 29, so published CNA status is unverified. Repository placement under claude-code does not change the affected product to Claude Code.

Sources