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Response snapshot Oct 27, 2026, 02:47 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-28744

Gitea: Git Smart HTTP Skips Repository Token Scopes for Bearer Tokens

As a result, a PAT or OAuth2 token presented as a Bearer credential can clone or fetch private repositories without the `read:repository` scope, and likewise reach the Git push without `write:repository`. ```go // routers/web/web.go addOwnerRepoGitHTTPRouters( m, repo.HTTPGitEnabledHandler, webAuth.

Published Updated

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
8.1 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
0.4% in the next 30 days
Sources
1 source

What to do

GitHub lists first patched versions: code.gitea.io/gitea: 1.26.2. Confirm the affected range and upgrade guidance in the exact advisory.

Read GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65 (opens a new tab)

What happened

### Summary Gitea v1.26.1 enforces repository-scoped access-token permissions on repository operations. In the Git Smart HTTP path, however, this check runs only when the token is presented via HTTP Basic authentication — `CheckRepoScopedToken()` returns early unless `ctx.IsBasicAuth` is true — so the same token sent as `Authorization: Bearer ` bypasses the scope check entirely.

As a result, a PAT or OAuth2 token presented as a Bearer credential can clone or fetch private repositories without the `read:repository` scope, and likewise reach the Git push without `write:repository`.

### Details Git Smart HTTP routes allow both Basic auth and OAuth2/Bearer auth:

```go // routers/web/web.go addOwnerRepoGitHTTPRouters( m, repo.HTTPGitEnabledHandler, webAuth.AllowBasic, webAuth.AllowOAuth2, repo.CorsHandler(), optSignInFromAnyOrigin, context.UserAssignmentWeb(), ) ```

Continue reading

The Git HTTP authorization path calls `CheckRepoScopedToken()` before falling through to normal repository RBAC:

```go // routers/web/repo/githttp.go if askAuth { if !ctx.IsSigned { ctx.HTTPError(http.StatusUnauthorized) return nil }

context.CheckRepoScopedToken(ctx, repo, auth_model.GetScopeLevelFromAccessMode(accessMode)) if ctx.Written() { return nil }

// normal repository RBAC follows } ```

However, `CheckRepoScopedToken()` only enforces token scopes for Basic-authenticated requests:

```go // services/context/permission.go func CheckRepoScopedToken(ctx *Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, level auth_model.AccessTokenScopeLevel) { if !ctx.IsBasicAuth || ctx.Data["IsApiToken"] != true { return }

scope, ok := ctx.Data["ApiTokenScope"].(auth_model.AccessTokenScope) if ok { requiredScopes := auth_model.GetRequiredScopes(level, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeCategoryRepository) // public-only and required repository scope checks follow } } ```

The Bearer/OAuth2 auth path still records the token scope:

```go // services/auth/oauth2.go accessTokenScope, uid := GetOAuthAccessTokenScopeAndUserID(ctx, tokenSHA) if uid != 0 { store.GetData()["IsApiToken"] = true store.GetData()["ApiTokenScope"] = accessTokenScope } ```

Bearer PATs also set `IsApiToken=true` and `ApiTokenScope`, but `ctx.IsBasicAuth` remains false because the selected auth method is OAuth2/Bearer rather than Basic. The scope is therefore available but ignored.

### PoC This test creates a token for `user2` with only `read:notification`, then requests Git Smart HTTP refs for `user2/repo2`, which is private. The same token is rejected over Basic auth, but succeeds over Bearer auth.

```go func TestPOCGitSmartHTTPBearerTokenBypassesRepositoryScope(t *testing.T) { defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()

repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 2, OwnerName: "user2", Name: "repo2"}) assert.True(t, repo.IsPrivate)

session := loginUser(t, "user2") token := getTokenForLoggedInUser(t, session, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeReadNotification) url := "/user2/repo2/info/refs?service=git-upload-pack"

basicReq := NewRequest(t, "GET", url) basicReq.SetBasicAuth(token, "x-oauth-basic") MakeRequest(t, basicReq, http.StatusForbidden)

bearerReq := NewRequest(t, "GET", url).AddTokenAuth(token) resp := MakeRequest(t, bearerReq, http.StatusOK) assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), "refs/heads/master") } ```

### Impact Any Gitea instance exposing Git Smart HTTP is affected when users use PATs or OAuth2 tokens as Bearer tokens. The attacker still needs a token for a user who has normal repository RBAC, so this does not grant access to repositories the token owner could not otherwise access.

The vulnerability breaks the access-token scope boundary. A token intended only for unrelated scopes, such as `read:notification`, can clone or fetch private repository contents over Git Smart HTTP. The same root cause can affect write flows because `git-receive-pack` also calls the same repository scope check before normal write RBAC.

Affected package ranges reported by GitHub: code.gitea.io/gitea: <= 1.26.1

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

8.1

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

0.4%

Scored Percentile 36.8%

Model and measurement source (opens a new tab)

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65 (opens a new tab)

    The public advisory supplies the description, affected package/version ranges, and any listed CVSS metric. GitHub review is not local review.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  4. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  6. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  7. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  8. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  9. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  10. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  11. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  12. Primary source

    FIRST measured EPSS score (opens a new tab)

    Measured EPSS probability and percentile for CVE-2026-28744, scored 2026-10-26. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 22). Gitea: Git Smart HTTP Skips Repository Token Scopes for Bearer Tokens (CVE-2026-28744). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-28744

MLA

"Gitea: Git Smart HTTP Skips Repository Token Scopes for Bearer Tokens (CVE-2026-28744)." KEVWire, 22 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-28744.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Gitea: Git Smart HTTP Skips Repository Token Scopes for Bearer Tokens (CVE-2026-28744)." Last modified October 22, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-28744.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Gitea: Git Smart HTTP Skips Repository Token Scopes for Bearer Tokens (Jun 16, 2026).
As a result, a PAT or OAuth2 token presented as a Bearer credential can clone or fetch private repositories without the `read:repository` scope, and likewise reach the Git push without `write:repository`.

```go
// routers/web/web.go
addOwnerRepoGitHTTPRouters(
 m,
 repo.HTTPGitEnabledHandler,
 webAuth.AllowBasic,
 webAuth.AllowOAuth2,
 repo.CorsHandler(),
 optSignInFromAnyOrigin,
 context.UserAssignmentWeb(),
)
```
CVSS 8.1 (version 3.1; evidence as of Oct 22, 2026; https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65).
EPSS 0.4% for the following 30 days, scored Oct 26, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-28744&date=2026-10-26).
Sources:
GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cc8w-r4qh-3v65
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yMlQxNTo1Mjo1NlrOAAfxiA%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yMlQxNDowNjoxNFrOAAfxZw%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QyMDo0NzoxN1rOAAf0Kg%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QyMDo0NTozNlrOAAf0Jw%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QyMDo0NTowNVrOAAf0JQ%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QyMDo0Mzo0NVrOAAf0Iw%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QyMDo0MzozMVrOAAf0Ig%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QxODozNTowMVrOAAZRcw%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QxODozMDoyN1rOAAY_5Q%3D%3D
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc&after=Y3Vyc29yOnYyOpK0MjAyNi0xMC0yM1QxODoyOTowNVrOAAfz8g%3D%3D
FIRST measured EPSS score: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-28744&date=2026-10-26
Record ID: CVE-2026-28744.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 27, 2026, 01:40 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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