Phantom Patch: Fake Diffs in Commit Messages and Patch Workflow Risks
Summary
The article explains how GitHub export patches can embed a phantom diff inside commit messages. It shows a minimal public demo where applying the patch also creates an unintended file, illustrating how standard patch tools may not reliably separate the real diff from the embedded text. It discusses potential implications for patch workflows, security, and where the bug might lie, emphasizing the need for safer patch parsing in automation.