tj-actions/branch-names Contains Command Injection Vulnerability
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-77.
Summary
tj-actions/branch-names is a Github actions repository that contains workflows to retrieve branch or tag names with support for all events. In versions 8.2.1 and below, a critical vulnerability has been identified in the tj-actions/branch-names' GitHub Action workflow which allows arbitrary command execution in downstream workflows. This issue arises due to inconsistent input sanitization and unescaped output, enabling malicious actors to exploit specially crafted branch names or tags. While internal sanitization mechanisms have been implemented, the action outputs remain vulnerable, exposing consuming workflows to significant security risks. This is fixed in version 9.0.0
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tj-actions | branch-names | before 9.0.0 | 9.0.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | tj-actions/branch-names (GitHub Actions) | before 9.0.0 | 9.0.0 | Patch available | GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6 |
- branch-names Vendortj-actions Affected before 9.0.0 Fixed in 9.0.0 Patch available CNA
- tj-actions/branch-names (GitHub Actions) Vendor— Affected before 9.0.0 Fixed in 9.0.0 Patch available GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6
Remediation
- Fix · CNA branch-names (tj-actions) Fixed in 9.0.0
- Fix · GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6 tj-actions/branch-names (GitHub Actions) Fixed in 9.0.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-54416
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6
- 2026-10-16 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Other 8
- https://github.com/tj-actions/branch-names/security/advisories/GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6
- https://github.com/tj-actions/branch-names/commit/e497ceb8ccd43fd9573cf2e375216625bc411d1f
- https://github.com/tj-actions/branch-names/releases/tag/v9.0.0
- https://github.com/tj-actions/branch-names/security/advisories/GHSA-8v8w-v8xg-79rf
- https://github.com/tj-actions/changed-files/security/advisories/GHSA-mcph-m25j-8j63
- https://github.blog/security/application-security/how-to-secure-your-github-actions-workflows-with-codeql
- https://github.com/tj-actions/branch-names
- https://securitylab.github.com/resources/github-actions-untrusted-input
More tj-actions vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-21427 tj-actions changed-files before 46 allows remote attackers to discover secrets by reading… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2023-28311 tj-actions/changed-files command injection in output filenames CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-26927 Improper Sanitization of Branch Name Leads to Arbitrary Code Injection CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-28576 GitHub Action tj-actions/verify-changed-files is vulnerable to command injection in output filenames CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2025-54416 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-54416 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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