GitHub Desktop up to 3.4.11 insufficiently protected credentials

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in GitHub Desktop up to 3.4.11. It has been rated as problematic. This affects an unknown function. Performing a manipulation results in insufficiently protected credentials. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2025-23040. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in GitHub Desktop up to 3.4.11. It has been classified as problematic. This affects an unknown function. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-522. The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke `git clone` and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.

It is possible to read the advisory at github.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-23040 since 01/10/2025. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1552 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

Upgrading to version 3.4.12 eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Type

• Bug Tracking Software

Vendor

• GitHub

Name

• Desktop

Version

• 3.4.0
• 3.4.1
• 3.4.2
• 3.4.3
• 3.4.4
• 3.4.5
• 3.4.6
• 3.4.7
• 3.4.8
• 3.4.9
• 3.4.10
• 3.4.11

License

• open-source

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

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