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The vulnerability in Gitea prior to version 1.22.2 arises from improper propagation of token scopes within its internal package registry system. When a user or service generates an access token with specific scopes, such as for reading or writing packages, Gitea occasionally fails to correctly enforce these scope restrictions during subsequent registry operations. This occurs due to a flaw in the token validation logic where the scope attributes are not consistently passed or checked across different layers of the registry access control mechanisms. Specifically, when handling API requests to the package registry, the system might incorrectly assume that a token with broader permissions is valid for narrower actions, or vice versa, leading to unauthorized access. The issue stems from the mishandling of context propagation in Go code, where token scope information is lost or not validated after initial authentication. This allows authenticated users to potentially perform actions beyond their intended permissions, such as uploading or deleting packages without proper authorization. The vulnerability is triggered during specific registry interactions, particularly when multiple concurrent requests or nested operations involve token reuse. The flaw is moderate because it requires an authenticated user and specific conditions, limiting its widespread exploitability but still posing a risk to repository integrity.
Platform: Gitea
Version: before 1.22.2
Vulnerability: Token scope mishandling
Severity: Moderate
date: Dec 26 2025
Prediction: Patched Dec 26 2025
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Showing bash commands and codes related to the blog
curl -X GET “http://gitea-instance/api/v1/packages?token=API_TOKEN”
gitea –version
docker exec gitea cat /app/gitea/gitea.log
cat /etc/gitea/app.ini | grep -i version
ps aux | grep gitea
netstat -tlnp | grep gitea
cd /path/to/gitea && git log –oneline -n 10
systemctl status gitea
journalctl -u gitea –since “2025-12-26”
find / -name “gitea” -type f 2>/dev/null
How Exploit:
Exploit involves crafting API requests with malformed tokens to bypass scope checks, using tools like curl to access restricted package registry endpoints. Attackers authenticate with limited tokens and manipulate request sequences to escalate privileges, potentially uploading or deleting packages unauthorized.
Protection from this CVE:
Upgrade to Gitea 1.22.2 immediately, enforce token scope reviews, restrict registry access via network controls, monitor logs for anomalous package operations, and implement least privilege principles for token issuance.
Impact:
Unauthorized package modification or deletion, potential repository compromise, data integrity loss, and limited access control bypass within registries.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
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