CVE-2026-96404 (GCVE-0-2026-96404)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-06 19:25 – Updated: 2026-10-07 14:26
VLAI
EPSS
VEX
Title
Gitea installer authentication bypass for existing accounts
Summary
When Gitea's web installer is reachable against a database that already contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`, submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an existing account issued an authenticated session for that account without verifying its password. If the account is an administrator, the session grants full administrative access, including changing the account's password. Databases with a single user also did not require the reinstall confirmation.
Severity
8.1 (High)
SSVC
Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical Impact: total
CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)
Decision recorded 2026-10-07 14:26 UTC
CWE
- CWE-287 - Improper Authentication
Assigner
References
4 references
| URL | Tags |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/adviso… | vendor-advisory |
| https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39400 | patch |
| https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.0.0/ | release-notes |
| https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.0.0 | release-notes |
Impacted products
{
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"attackComplexity": "HIGH",
"attackVector": "NETWORK",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"baseScore": 8.1,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"integrityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
}
},
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2026-96404",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "none"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2026-10-07T14:26:36.461394Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-287",
"description": "CWE-287 Improper Authentication",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-07T14:26:56.170Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"packageName": "gitea.dev",
"product": "Gitea",
"vendor": "Gitea",
"versions": [
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "1.27.3",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
}
]
}
],
"credits": [
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "finder",
"value": "https://github.com/vuductruong12"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "analyst",
"value": "https://github.com/lilmingwa13"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "remediation developer",
"value": "https://github.com/wxiaoguang"
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "When Gitea\u0027s web installer is reachable against a database that already contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`, submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an existing account issued an authenticated session for that account without verifying its password. If the account is an administrator, the session grants full administrative access, including changing the account\u0027s password. Databases with a single user also did not require the reinstall confirmation."
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-06T19:25:28.457Z",
"orgId": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"shortName": "Gitea"
},
"references": [
{
"name": "GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2",
"tags": [
"vendor-advisory"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2"
},
{
"name": "Fix: go-gitea/gitea pull request #39400",
"tags": [
"patch"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39400"
},
{
"name": "Gitea 28.0.0 release announcement",
"tags": [
"release-notes"
],
"url": "https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.0.0/"
},
{
"name": "go-gitea/gitea v28.0.0 release",
"tags": [
"release-notes"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.0.0"
}
],
"title": "Gitea installer authentication bypass for existing accounts"
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"assignerShortName": "Gitea",
"cveId": "CVE-2026-96404",
"datePublished": "2026-10-06T19:25:28.457Z",
"dateReserved": "2026-10-04T21:59:53.548Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-07T14:26:56.170Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"epss": {
"cve": "CVE-2026-96404",
"date": "2026-10-07",
"epss": "0.00156",
"percentile": "0.04183"
},
"nvd": {
"cve": {
"affected": [
{
"affectedData": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"packageName": "gitea.dev",
"product": "Gitea",
"vendor": "Gitea",
"versions": [
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "1.27.3",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
}
]
}
],
"source": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2"
}
],
"cveTags": [],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "When Gitea\u0027s web installer is reachable against a database that already contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`, submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an existing account issued an authenticated session for that account without verifying its password. If the account is an administrator, the session grants full administrative access, including changing the account\u0027s password. Databases with a single user also did not require the reinstall confirmation."
}
],
"id": "CVE-2026-96404",
"lastModified": "2026-10-07T15:17:58.800",
"metrics": {
"cvssMetricV31": [
{
"cvssData": {
"attackComplexity": "HIGH",
"attackVector": "NETWORK",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"baseScore": 8.1,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"integrityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
},
"exploitabilityScore": 2.2,
"impactScore": 5.9,
"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"type": "Secondary"
}
],
"ssvcV203": [
{
"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"ssvcData": {
"id": "CVE-2026-96404",
"options": [
{
"exploitation": "none"
},
{
"automatable": "no"
},
{
"technicalImpact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2026-10-07T14:26:36.461394Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
}
}
]
},
"published": "2026-10-06T20:17:35.500",
"references": [
{
"source": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"url": "https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.0.0/"
},
{
"source": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39400"
},
{
"source": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.0.0"
},
{
"source": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2"
}
],
"sourceIdentifier": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"vulnStatus": "Awaiting Analysis",
"weaknesses": [
{
"description": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "CWE-287"
}
],
"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"type": "Secondary"
}
]
}
},
"redhat_vex": {
"current_release_date": "2026-10-07T04:00:50+00:00",
"cve": "CVE-2026-96404",
"id": "CVE-2026-96404",
"initial_release_date": "2026-10-06T19:25:28.457000+00:00",
"product_status:known_not_affected": "1",
"source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
"status": "final",
"title": "code.gitea.io/gitea: Gitea: Authentication bypass via web installer",
"url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-96404.json",
"version": "3"
},
"vulnrichment": {
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"attackComplexity": "HIGH",
"attackVector": "NETWORK",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"baseScore": 8.1,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"integrityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
}
},
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2026-96404",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "none"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2026-10-07T14:26:36.461394Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-287",
"description": "CWE-287 Improper Authentication",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-07T14:26:18.879Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"packageName": "gitea.dev",
"product": "Gitea",
"vendor": "Gitea",
"versions": [
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "1.27.3",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
}
]
}
],
"credits": [
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "finder",
"value": "https://github.com/vuductruong12"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "analyst",
"value": "https://github.com/lilmingwa13"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "remediation developer",
"value": "https://github.com/wxiaoguang"
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "When Gitea\u0027s web installer is reachable against a database that already contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`, submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an existing account issued an authenticated session for that account without verifying its password. If the account is an administrator, the session grants full administrative access, including changing the account\u0027s password. Databases with a single user also did not require the reinstall confirmation."
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-06T19:25:28.457Z",
"orgId": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"shortName": "Gitea"
},
"references": [
{
"name": "GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2",
"tags": [
"vendor-advisory"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2"
},
{
"name": "Fix: go-gitea/gitea pull request #39400",
"tags": [
"patch"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39400"
},
{
"name": "Gitea 28.0.0 release announcement",
"tags": [
"release-notes"
],
"url": "https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.0.0/"
},
{
"name": "go-gitea/gitea v28.0.0 release",
"tags": [
"release-notes"
],
"url": "https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.0.0"
}
],
"title": "Gitea installer authentication bypass for existing accounts"
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2",
"assignerShortName": "Gitea",
"cveId": "CVE-2026-96404",
"datePublished": "2026-10-06T19:25:28.457Z",
"dateReserved": "2026-10-04T21:59:53.548Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-10-07T14:26:56.170Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2"
}
}
}
Loading…
Loading…
Experimental. This forecast is provided for visualization only and may change without notice. Do not use it for operational decisions.
Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Loading…
Loading…
The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the
vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base
model, served locally by ML-Gateway.
They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
Loading…
Related by attack behaviour
Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.
Loading…