Gitea: Null Pointer Dereference in AddTime API Causes Authenticated Denial of Service

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-55984: 0.46% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 39.73 (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 The AddTime API handler continues execution after an error returned by GetUserByName(). When a repository administrator specifies a non-existent user name, an error response is generated but execution does not stop. Subsequent code dereferences a nil user pointer, resulting in a runtime panic. Details Affected endpoint: Affected file: Relevant code: Execution continues to: When GetUserByName() fails, user is nil. The subsequent call dereferences the nil pointer and triggers a runtime panic. Proof of Concept Using a repository administrator account: Result: The stack trace indicates execution reaches the AddTime code path with a nil user object. Impact An authenticated repository administrator can repeatedly trigger server-side panics through the affected endpoint. Depending on deployment configuration and panic recovery behavior, this may result in request failures, stack trace disclosure, excessive log generation, or degraded service availability. Suggested Fix Add a return…

Published by the source

21 Jul 2026, 20:59 UTC

Last modified by the source

21 Jul 2026, 20:59 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:27 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-m932-crvm-gcp5

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-55984

Advisory: Gitea: Null Pointer Dereference in AddTime API Causes Authenticated Denial of Service
IDs: CVE-2026-55984, GHSA-m932-crvm-gcp5
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-55984 (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: Low (CVSS 2.7)
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 1.27.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go code.gitea.io/gitea: affected < 1.27.0; fixed in 1.27.0

## 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-m932-crvm-gcp5 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-m932-crvm-gcp5 lists affected ranges: Go code.gitea.io/gitea >=0 <1.27.0)

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