CVE-2026-12171
auto-changelog: code execution via untrusted in-repository configuration (handlebarsSetup/plugins), plus argument injection, path traversal, and SSRF
Description
auto-changelog before 2.6.1 merges configuration from inside the target repository (the .auto-changelog file and the auto-changelog key in package.json) into its options, and honors security-sensitive options from that untrusted source. The handlebarsSetup option is passed to require(), so running auto-changelog over attacker-controlled repository content (for example, in a CI workflow that checks out an untrusted pull request head, or locally on a forked or third-party repository) executes attacker-chosen code with the privileges of the invoking user or CI job, including access to workflow secrets, without the repository dependencies ever being installed. The plugins option similarly loads attacker-controlled modules from the repository. Under the same conditions, appendGitLog/appendGitTag allow git argument injection (e.g. --output= to write arbitrary files), output allows writing attacker-influenced content to arbitrary paths, and template causes an outbound request to an attacker-chosen URL. Version 2.6.1 treats in-repository configuration as untrusted and refuses to run when it sets these options, unless the new --unsafe-config flag is passed.
INFO
Published Date :
Oct. 5, 2026, 5:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 5, 2026, 5:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-12171
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | MITRE-CVE | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 |
Solution
- Update auto-changelog to 2.6.1 or higher.
- Avoid --unsafe-config with untrusted repositories.
- Review configuration for security-sensitive options.
- Validate input sources for repository content.
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-2026-12171.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/cookpete/auto-changelog/commit/1d02a48a0a57c69a3cd268aca375d64d50877c1a | |
| https://github.com/cookpete/auto-changelog/security/advisories/GHSA-xpvr-2hvx-m8q4 |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-12171 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-2026-12171
weaknesses.
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-2026-12171 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-12171 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.
-
New CVE Received by 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158
Oct. 05, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description auto-changelog before 2.6.1 merges configuration from inside the target repository (the .auto-changelog file and the auto-changelog key in package.json) into its options, and honors security-sensitive options from that untrusted source. The handlebarsSetup option is passed to require(), so running auto-changelog over attacker-controlled repository content (for example, in a CI workflow that checks out an untrusted pull request head, or locally on a forked or third-party repository) executes attacker-chosen code with the privileges of the invoking user or CI job, including access to workflow secrets, without the repository dependencies ever being installed. The plugins option similarly loads attacker-controlled modules from the repository. Under the same conditions, appendGitLog/appendGitTag allow git argument injection (e.g. --output= to write arbitrary files), output allows writing attacker-influenced content to arbitrary paths, and template causes an outbound request to an attacker-chosen URL. Version 2.6.1 treats in-repository configuration as untrusted and refuses to run when it sets these options, unless the new --unsafe-config flag is passed. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added CWE CWE-22 Added CWE CWE-94 Added CWE CWE-88 Added CWE CWE-918 Added CWE CWE-829 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/12xxx/CVE-2026-12171.json">CVE-2026-12171</a> Added Reference https://github.com/cookpete/auto-changelog/commit/1d02a48a0a57c69a3cd268aca375d64d50877c1a Added Reference https://github.com/cookpete/auto-changelog/security/advisories/GHSA-xpvr-2hvx-m8q4