CVE-2026-123638
Gitea protected file pattern bypass with quoted file names
Description
The "Protected file patterns" setting of a branch protection rule was checked against file names as git prints them, and git quotes names that contain a double quote, a backslash or a control character. Such names never matched a pattern, so a user with write access could add or change files under a protected pattern by direct push or through a pull request merge, and could move a protected file out of the pattern's reach by renaming it. Where the patterns protect workflow files, this allowed adding a workflow that then ran on the repository's runners. Changed files are now listed unquoted, and a rename reports both the old and the new path.
INFO
Published Date :
Nov. 15, 2026, 10:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Nov. 15, 2026, 10:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
Solution
- Update the branch protection rule settings.
- Ensure file names are correctly evaluated.
- Apply changes to the repository configuration.
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-2026-123638.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-123638 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-2026-123638
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-2026-123638 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-123638 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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New CVE Received by 88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
Nov. 15, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description The "Protected file patterns" setting of a branch protection rule was checked against file names as git prints them, and git quotes names that contain a double quote, a backslash or a control character. Such names never matched a pattern, so a user with write access could add or change files under a protected pattern by direct push or through a pull request merge, and could move a protected file out of the pattern's reach by renaming it. Where the patterns protect workflow files, this allowed adding a workflow that then ran on the repository's runners. Changed files are now listed unquoted, and a rename reports both the old and the new path. Added CWE CWE-693 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/123xxx/CVE-2026-123638.json">CVE-2026-123638</a> Added Reference https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.4.0/ Added Reference https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/40362 Added Reference https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.4.0 Added Reference https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-w87g-xmrp-86v2