Gitea up to 28.2.x Admin API /api/v1/admin privileges management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
6.0$0-$5k0.41

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Gitea up to 28.2.x and classified as critical. This impacts an unknown function of the file /api/v1/admin of the component Admin API. The manipulation results in privileges management. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-117635. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Gitea up to 28.2.x. Affected is an unknown code of the file /api/v1/admin of the component Admin API. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

The `/api/v1/admin` route group did not enforce the `public-only` restriction of personal access tokens. A public-only token with admin scope issued by a site administrator could therefore list private organizations and the email addresses of all users, create organizations, obtain runner registration tokens and create new site administrator accounts, the last of which persists after the token is revoked. Tokens of users who are not site administrators cannot reach these routes; public-only tokens are now rejected on the admin API.

The advisory is shared for download at github.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-117635 since 11/01/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068.

Upgrading to version 28.3.0 eliminates this vulnerability.

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.0

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privileges management
CWE: CWE-269 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Gitea 28.3.0

Timelineinfo

11/01/2026 Advisory disclosed
11/01/2026 +0 days CVE reserved
11/01/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
11/01/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: github.com
Status: Confirmed

CNA: Gitea
CVE: CVE-2026-117635 (🔒)

GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-117635
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-429636

Entryinfo

Created: 11/01/2026 11:15
Changes: 11/01/2026 11:15 (55)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

Might our Artificial Intelligence support you?

Check our Alexa App!