CVE-2026-25232: Gogs Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25232 Overview

CVE-2026-25232 is an access control bypass vulnerability affecting Gogs, an open source self-hosted Git service. This vulnerability allows any repository collaborator with Write permissions to delete protected branches (including the default branch) by sending a direct POST request, completely bypassing the branch protection mechanism. The flaw exists in the DeleteBranchPost function and enables privilege escalation from Write to Admin level, allowing low-privilege users to perform dangerous operations that should be restricted to administrators only.

Critical Impact

Authenticated users with Write permissions can delete protected branches, bypass security controls, and perform unauthorized administrative operations on Git repositories.

Affected Products

• Gogs versions 0.13.4 and below
• Self-hosted Gogs instances with branch protection configured
• Repositories where collaborators have Write permissions

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-19 - CVE-2026-25232 published to NVD
• 2026-02-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25232

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an authorization bypass flaw (CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization) in the Gogs web interface. While the Git Hook layer correctly prevents protected branch deletion via SSH push operations, the web interface deletion operation does not trigger Git Hooks, resulting in a complete bypass of the protection mechanisms.

The attack requires network access and low privilege authentication (Write permissions on a repository). An attacker must have write permissions to the target repository, protected branches configured on the target repository, and access to the Gogs web interface. Once these conditions are met, the attacker can send a direct POST request to the DeleteBranchPost endpoint to delete any protected branch, including the default branch.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper access control validation in the DeleteBranchPost function. The function fails to verify whether the authenticated user has Administrator privileges before allowing branch deletion operations. This creates a discrepancy between the intended security model (only admins can delete protected branches) and the actual implementation (any user with Write access can delete protected branches via the web interface).

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires authenticated access. An attacker with Write permissions to a repository can craft a direct POST request to the branch deletion endpoint, bypassing the branch protection rules that would normally prevent such operations. This is particularly dangerous because:

1. The attacker only needs Write-level access, not Admin access
2. Protected branches, including the default branch, can be deleted
3. The web interface does not invoke Git Hooks that would otherwise block the operation
4. No additional user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own actions

The vulnerability enables privilege escalation from Write to Admin level permissions within the context of repository management operations.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25232

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected POST requests to branch deletion endpoints in web server logs
• Protected branches that were deleted without corresponding Git Hook activity
• Audit logs showing branch deletions performed by users without Admin privileges
• Default branch configuration changes or missing default branches

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Gogs web server access logs for direct POST requests to /repos/{owner}/{repo}/branches/delete endpoints
• Implement alerting for branch deletion events where the actor has Write but not Admin permissions
• Review Git repository state for unexplained removal of protected branches
• Cross-reference branch deletion events with Git Hook execution logs to identify bypass attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed access logging on Gogs instances to capture all branch management operations
• Deploy web application firewall rules to flag suspicious branch deletion patterns
• Configure alerts for any deletion of branches marked as protected in repository settings
• Regularly audit repository branch configurations against expected protected branch policies

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25232

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Gogs to version 0.14.1 or later immediately
• Review audit logs to identify any unauthorized branch deletions
• Verify the integrity of protected branches in critical repositories
• Temporarily restrict Write permissions on sensitive repositories until patching is complete

Patch Information

Gogs has released version 0.14.1 which addresses this vulnerability. The fix is available through the official GitHub Release v0.14.1. The specific commit addressing this issue can be found at GitHub Commit 7b7e38c. Additional technical details are available in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-2c6v-8r3v-gh6p.

Workarounds

• Restrict repository Write access to only highly trusted users until the patch can be applied
• Implement network-level access controls to limit who can reach the Gogs web interface
• Use external backup solutions to maintain copies of protected branches
• Consider temporarily disabling web-based branch management if feasible

# Verify Gogs version after upgrade
./gogs --version
# Expected output should show v0.14.1 or later

# Review access permissions for repositories
# Audit collaborator permissions in Gogs admin panel
# Settings -> Repository -> Collaborators