Gitea exposes watched repository metadata after access is revoked
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · None · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
Gitea through 1.26.4 is missing an authorization check on its API for listing watched repositories (CWE-862). A remote user with a low-privilege account who once watched a private repository can still read its name, description, clone URLs, owner and counters after losing access to it. The flaw is not listed in CISA KEV.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
`GET /api/v1/user/subscriptions` returned the metadata of every repository a user was watching without checking that the user still had access to it. A user who watched a private repository while having access, and later lost it, for example through a team permission downgrade, could still read its name, description, clone URLs, owner and counters. The issue was fixed in 1.27.0 and 28.0.0 and disclosed with 28.2.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- 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
Remediation
Upgrade to Gitea 1.27.0 or 28.0.0, or a later release.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-109844
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
- 2026-10-20 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
More Gitea vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-42785 Gitea before 1.27.1 allows remote code execution via the diffpatch API through Git hook installation. KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-42033 Improper authorization on OAuth sign-in callback silently re-enables administrator-disabled accounts CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-40842 Privilege Escalation via Access Token Scope Escalation in API CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-16922 Gitea Docker image trusts spoofable reverse-proxy headers by default CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-42043 Team-repository linking endpoint bypasses the RepoAdminChangeTeamAccess organization setting CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2026-40381 OIDC userinfo Endpoint Returns Identity Claims Without Enforcing API Token Scopes CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences