Gitea: API access token scope enforcement bypass on repository RSS/Atom feed endpoints leaks private repository commit data

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

4.3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2026-27761: 0.45% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 39.27 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary A Gitea personal access token (PAT) restricted to a non-repository scope (e.g. read:issue) can read the commit history of any private repository the token owner can access, via the repository RSS/Atom feed endpoints. The same token is correctly denied (403) on /raw, /media, /archive, and the contents API. It leaks commit SHAs, full commit messages (which frequently contain secrets and internal context), and committer name + email. Details Gitea enforces PAT scope on repository-content endpoints via checkDownloadTokenScope() (added in PR #37698, extended to the archive endpoint by the CVE-2026-20706 fix in 1.26.2). The RSS/Atom feed handlers were never included: they (a) opt into PAT auth via webAuth.AllowBasic, (b) serve private-repo content, but (c) never call checkDownloadTokenScope(). Affected handlers (all carry AllowBasic, none call the scope check): - RenderBranchFeedRSS/Atom - routers/web/feed/render.go (last 10 commits: SHA, title, full message, committer name +…

Published by the source

21 Jul 2026, 20:30 UTC

Last modified by the source

21 Jul 2026, 20:30 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:27 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-3pww-vcvm-3gmj

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-27761

Advisory: Gitea: API access token scope enforcement bypass on repository RSS/Atom feed endpoints leaks private repository commit data
IDs: CVE-2026-27761, GHSA-3pww-vcvm-3gmj
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-27761 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:27 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 4.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: code.gitea.io/gitea 1.26.3. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go code.gitea.io/gitea: affected <= 1.26.2; fixed in 1.26.3

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go code.gitea.io/gitea: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on code.gitea.io/gitea.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-3pww-vcvm-3gmj (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-3pww-vcvm-3gmj lists affected ranges: Go code.gitea.io/gitea >=0 <=1.26.2)

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