CVE-2026-116289

Gitea public-only token bypass through Actions runner registration

Published Nov 1, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 9.1 Critical EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Gitea did not reject personal access tokens restricted to public resources (`public-only`) on the organization Actions runner registration-token endpoint, and the runner registered with the resulting token was not limited to public repositories. Holding only such a token with `write:organization` that belongs to an owner of a public organization, an attacker could register an organization-level runner and receive jobs of the organization's private repositories that have Actions enabled, including the workflow content, Actions secrets and variables, and a task token with access to the private repository. The issue widens what the restricted token can reach; it gives nothing beyond what the owner's full account can already do.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-266
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Gitea
Gitea gitea
Vendors & Products Gitea
Gitea gitea
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Gitea did not reject personal access tokens restricted to public resources (`public-only`) on the organization Actions runner registration-token endpoint, and the runner registered with the resulting token was not limited to public repositories. Holding only such a token with `write:organization` that belongs to an owner of a public organization, an attacker could register an organization-level runner and receive jobs of the organization's private repositories that have Actions enabled, including the workflow content, Actions secrets and variables, and a task token with access to the private repository. The issue widens what the restricted token can reach; it gives nothing beyond what the owner's full account can already do.
Title Gitea public-only token bypass through Actions runner registration
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Gitea
Published
Updated
Nov 6, 2026, 3:34 PM
Reserved
Nov 1, 2026, 8:50 AM
Status
Deferred
Published
Nov 1, 2026, 10:18 AM
Modified
Nov 6, 2026, 4:17 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Nov 1, 2026, 9:48 AM