diff --git a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/Commandline.java b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/Commandline.java
index db145c50..bca41d30 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/Commandline.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/Commandline.java
@@ -581,9 +581,7 @@ public Process execute() throws CommandLineException {
         File workingDir = shell.getWorkingDirectory();
 
         try {
-            if (workingDir == null) {
-                process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(getCommandline(), environment, workingDir);
-            } else {
+            if (workingDir != null) {
                 if (!workingDir.exists()) {
                     throw new CommandLineException(
                             "Working directory \"" + workingDir.getPath() + "\" does not exist!");
@@ -591,9 +589,31 @@ public Process execute() throws CommandLineException {
                     throw new CommandLineException(
                             "Path \"" + workingDir.getPath() + "\" does not specify a directory.");
                 }
+            }
 
-                process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(getCommandline(), environment, workingDir);
+            // Use ProcessBuilder instead of Runtime.exec() to avoid shell interpretation
+            // This prevents shell metacharacter expansion (e.g., *, ?, wildcards)
+            String[] commandline = getRawCommandline();
+            ProcessBuilder processBuilder = new ProcessBuilder(commandline);
+
+            if (workingDir != null) {
+                processBuilder.directory(workingDir);
             }
+
+            // Set environment variables
+            if (environment != null && environment.length > 0) {
+                Map<String, String> env = processBuilder.environment();
+                for (String envVar : environment) {
+                    int idx = envVar.indexOf('=');
+                    if (idx > 0) {
+                        String key = envVar.substring(0, idx);
+                        String value = envVar.substring(idx + 1);
+                        env.put(key, value);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            process = processBuilder.start();
         } catch (IOException ex) {
             throw new CommandLineException("Error while executing process.", ex);
         }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/CommandlineTest.java b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/CommandlineTest.java
index 95862478..0a772f70 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/CommandlineTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/cli/CommandlineTest.java
@@ -483,6 +483,43 @@ private static void createAndCallScript(File dir, String content) throws Excepti
         executeCommandLine(cmd);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test that asterisk and other special characters are NOT expanded by shell.
+     * This test verifies the fix for SCM-763 where passwords with asterisks were being expanded.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void executeWithAsteriskInArgument() throws Exception {
+        Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
+        cmd.setWorkingDirectory(baseDir);
+        cmd.setExecutable("echo");
+        // Add an argument with asterisk that should NOT be expanded
+        cmd.createArg().setValue("S8p3r*S3cr3t");
+
+        Process process = cmd.execute();
+        String output = IOUtil.toString(process.getInputStream()).trim();
+
+        // The output should contain the literal asterisk, not expanded files
+        assertEquals("S8p3r*S3cr3t", output);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test that question mark is NOT expanded by shell.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void executeWithQuestionMarkInArgument() throws Exception {
+        Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
+        cmd.setWorkingDirectory(baseDir);
+        cmd.setExecutable("echo");
+        // Add an argument with question mark that should NOT be expanded
+        cmd.createArg().setValue("test?value");
+
+        Process process = cmd.execute();
+        String output = IOUtil.toString(process.getInputStream()).trim();
+
+        // The output should contain the literal question mark, not expanded files
+        assertEquals("test?value", output);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Execute the command line
      *