CVE-2021-32638
"GitHub CodeQL Action Exposes GitHub Access Token"
Description
Github's CodeQL action is provided to run CodeQL-based code scanning on non-GitHub CI/CD systems and requires a GitHub access token to connect to a GitHub repository. The runner and its documentation previously suggested passing the GitHub token as a command-line parameter to the process instead of reading it from a file, standard input, or an environment variable. This approach made the token visible to other processes on the same machine, for example in the output of the `ps` command. If the CI system publicly exposes the output of `ps`, for example by logging the output, then the GitHub access token can be exposed beyond the scope intended. Users of the CodeQL runner on 3rd-party systems, who are passing a GitHub token via the `--github-auth` flag, are affected. This applies to both GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise users. Users of the CodeQL Action on GitHub Actions are not affected. The `--github-auth` flag is now considered insecure and deprecated. The undocumented `--external-repository-token` flag has been removed. To securely provide a GitHub access token to the CodeQL runner, users should **do one of the following instead**: Use the `--github-auth-stdin` flag and pass the token on the command line via standard input OR set the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable to contain the token, then call the command without passing in the token. The old flag remains present for backwards compatibility with existing workflows. If the user tries to specify an access token using the `--github-auth` flag, there is a deprecation warning printed to the terminal that directs the user to one of the above options. All CodeQL runner releases codeql-bundle-20210304 onwards contain the patches. We recommend updating to a recent version of the CodeQL runner, storing a token in your CI system's secret storage mechanism, and passing the token to the CodeQL runner using `--github-auth-stdin` or the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable. If still using the old flag, ensure that process output, such as from `ps`, is not persisted in CI logs.
INFO
Published Date :
May 25, 2021, 5:15 p.m.
Last Modified :
Nov. 21, 2024, 6:07 a.m.
Source :
[email protected]
Remotely Exploitable :
No
Impact Score :
3.6
Exploitability Score :
0.8
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2021-32638.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2021-32638 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2021-32638 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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CVE Modified by af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Nov. 21, 2024
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/58defc0652e935f6f2ffc70a82828b98d75476fb Added Reference https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/88714e3a60e72ec53caa0e6a203652ee1f3fb1db Added Reference https://github.com/github/codeql-action/releases/tag/codeql-bundle-20210304 Added Reference https://github.com/github/codeql-action/security/advisories/GHSA-g36v-2xff-pv5m Added Reference https://www.netmeister.org/blog/passing-passwords.html -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
May. 14, 2024
Action Type Old Value New Value -
Reanalysis by [email protected]
Jul. 02, 2022
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CWE NIST CWE-200 -
Initial Analysis by [email protected]
Jun. 04, 2021
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V2 NIST (AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N) Added CVSS V3.1 NIST AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N Changed Reference Type https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/58defc0652e935f6f2ffc70a82828b98d75476fb No Types Assigned https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/58defc0652e935f6f2ffc70a82828b98d75476fb Patch, Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/88714e3a60e72ec53caa0e6a203652ee1f3fb1db No Types Assigned https://github.com/github/codeql-action/commit/88714e3a60e72ec53caa0e6a203652ee1f3fb1db Patch, Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://github.com/github/codeql-action/releases/tag/codeql-bundle-20210304 No Types Assigned https://github.com/github/codeql-action/releases/tag/codeql-bundle-20210304 Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://github.com/github/codeql-action/security/advisories/GHSA-g36v-2xff-pv5m No Types Assigned https://github.com/github/codeql-action/security/advisories/GHSA-g36v-2xff-pv5m Exploit, Mitigation, Patch, Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://www.netmeister.org/blog/passing-passwords.html No Types Assigned https://www.netmeister.org/blog/passing-passwords.html Third Party Advisory Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:a:github:codeql_action:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 20210304 -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
May. 25, 2021
Action Type Old Value New Value Changed Description Github's CodeQL action is provided to run CodeQL-based code scanning on non-GitHub CI/CD systems and requires a GitHub access token to connect to a GitHub repository. The runner and its documentation previously suggested passing the GitHub token as a command-line parameter to the process instead of reading it from a file, standard input, or an environment variable. This approach made the token visible to other processes on the same machine, for example in the output of the `ps` command. If the CI system publicly exposes the output of `ps`, for example by logging the output, then the GitHub access token can be exposed beyond the scope intended. Users of the CodeQL runner on 3rd-party systems, who are passing a GitHub token via the `--github-auth` flag, are affected. This applies to both GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise users. Users of the CodeQL Action on GitHub Actions are not affected. The `--github-auth` flag is now considered insecure and deprecated. The undocumented `--external-repository-token` flag has been removed. To securely provide a GitHub access token to the CodeQL runner, users should **do one of the following instead**: Use the `--github-auth-stdin` flag and pass the token on the command line via standard input OR set the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable to contain the token, then call the command without passing in the token. The old flag remains present for backwards compatibility with existing workflows. If the user tries to specify an access token using the `--github-auth` flag, there is a deprecation warning printed to the terminal that directs the user to one of the above options. All CodeQL runner releases codeql-bundle-20210304 onwards contain the patches. We recommend updating to a recent version of the CodeQL runner, storing a token in your CI system's secret storage mechanism, and passing the token to the CodeQL runner using `--github-auth-stdin` or the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable. If still using the old flag, ensure that process output, such as from `ps`, is not persisted in CI logs. Github's CodeQL action is provided to run CodeQL-based code scanning on non-GitHub CI/CD systems and requires a GitHub access token to connect to a GitHub repository. The runner and its documentation previously suggested passing the GitHub token as a command-line parameter to the process instead of reading it from a file, standard input, or an environment variable. This approach made the token visible to other processes on the same machine, for example in the output of the `ps` command. If the CI system publicly exposes the output of `ps`, for example by logging the output, then the GitHub access token can be exposed beyond the scope intended. Users of the CodeQL runner on 3rd-party systems, who are passing a GitHub token via the `--github-auth` flag, are affected. This applies to both GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise users. Users of the CodeQL Action on GitHub Actions are not affected. The `--github-auth` flag is now considered insecure and deprecated. The undocumented `--external-repository-token` flag has been removed. To securely provide a GitHub access token to the CodeQL runner, users should **do one of the following instead**: Use the `--github-auth-stdin` flag and pass the token on the command line via standard input OR set the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable to contain the token, then call the command without passing in the token. The old flag remains present for backwards compatibility with existing workflows. If the user tries to specify an access token using the `--github-auth` flag, there is a deprecation warning printed to the terminal that directs the user to one of the above options. All CodeQL runner releases codeql-bundle-20210304 onwards contain the patches. We recommend updating to a recent version of the CodeQL runner, storing a token in your CI system's secret storage mechanism, and passing the token to the CodeQL runner using `--github-auth-stdin` or the `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable. If still using the old flag, ensure that process output, such as from `ps`, is not persisted in CI logs.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2021-32638 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2021-32638
weaknesses.
Exploit Prediction
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days.
0.08 }} 0.02%
score
0.31952
percentile