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CVE-2020-26222

Remote code execution in dependabot-core

8.7 HighFix available

Dependabot is a set of packages for automated dependency management for Ruby, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Elixir, Rust, Java, .NET, Elm and Go. In Dependabot-Core from version 0.119.0.beta1 before version 0.125.1, there is a remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code. For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository. The fix was applied to version 0.125.1. As a workaround, one can escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

3.09%Up 1.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.7

Remote code execution in dependabot-core

Dependabot is a set of packages for automated dependency management for Ruby, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Elixir, Rust, Java, .NET, Elm and Go. In Dependabot-Core from version 0.119.0.beta1 before version 0.125.1, there is a remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code. For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository. The fix was applied to version 0.125.1. As a workaround, one can escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

Record
CVE-2020-26222
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-1442 8.7

Dependabot is a set of packages for automated dependency management for Ruby, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Elixir, Rust, Java, .NET, Elm and Go. In Dependabot-Core from version 0.119.0.beta1 before version 0.125.1, there is a remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code. For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository. The fix was applied to version 0.125.1. As a workaround, one can escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

Record
EUVD-2020-1442
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-23f7-99jx-m54r 8.7

Remote code execution in dependabot-core branch names when cloning

Impact

Remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code.

For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository.

When Dependabot is configured to clone the source repository during an update, Dependabot runs a shell command to git clone the repository:

git clone --no-tags --no-recurse-submodules --depth=1 --branch=<BRANCH> --single-branch <GITHUB_REPO_URL> repo/contents/path

Dependabot will always clone the source repository for go_modules during the file fetching step and can be configured to clone the repository for other package managers using the FileFetcher class from dependabot-common.

source = Dependabot::Source.new(
  provider: "github",
  repo: "repo/name",
  directory: "/",
  branch: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})",
)

repo_contents_path = "./file/path"
fetcher = Dependabot::FileFetchers.for_package_manager("bundler").
                  new(source: source, credentials: [],
                  repo_contents_path: repo_contents_path)
fetcher.clone_repo_contents

Patches

The fix was applied to version 0.125.1: https://github.com/dependabot/dependabot-core/pull/2727

Workarounds

Escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

For example using shellwords:

require "shellwords"
branch = Shellwords.escape("/$({curl,127.0.0.1})")
source = Dependabot::Source.new(
  provider: "github",
  repo: "repo/name",
  directory: "/",
  branch: branch,
)
Record
GHSA-23f7-99jx-m54r
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 8.7

Dependabot is a set of packages for automated dependency management for Ruby, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Elixir, Rust, Java, .NET, Elm and Go. In Dependabot-Core from version 0.119.0.beta1 before version 0.125.1, there is a remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code. For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository. The fix was applied to version 0.125.1. As a workaround, one can escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

Record
CVE-2020-26222
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.5 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.8

Dependabot is a set of packages for automated dependency management for Ruby, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Elixir, Rust, Java, .NET, Elm and Go. In Dependabot-Core from version 0.119.0.beta1 before version 0.125.1, there is a remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code. For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository. The fix was applied to version 0.125.1. As a workaround, one can escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

Record
CVE-2020-26222
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-23f7-99jx-m54r 8.7

Remote code execution in dependabot-core branch names when cloning

Impact

Remote code execution vulnerability in dependabot-common and dependabot-go_modules when a source branch name contains malicious injectable bash code.

For example, if Dependabot is configured to use the following source branch name: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})", Dependabot will make a HTTP request to the following URL: 127.0.0.1 when cloning the source repository.

When Dependabot is configured to clone the source repository during an update, Dependabot runs a shell command to git clone the repository:

git clone --no-tags --no-recurse-submodules --depth=1 --branch=<BRANCH> --single-branch <GITHUB_REPO_URL> repo/contents/path

Dependabot will always clone the source repository for go_modules during the file fetching step and can be configured to clone the repository for other package managers using the FileFetcher class from dependabot-common.

source = Dependabot::Source.new(
  provider: "github",
  repo: "repo/name",
  directory: "/",
  branch: "/$({curl,127.0.0.1})",
)

repo_contents_path = "./file/path"
fetcher = Dependabot::FileFetchers.for_package_manager("bundler").
                  new(source: source, credentials: [],
                  repo_contents_path: repo_contents_path)
fetcher.clone_repo_contents

Patches

The fix was applied to version 0.125.1: https://github.com/dependabot/dependabot-core/pull/2727

Workarounds

Escape the branch name prior to passing it to the Dependabot::Source class.

For example using shellwords:

require "shellwords"
branch = Shellwords.escape("/$({curl,127.0.0.1})")
source = Dependabot::Source.new(
  provider: "github",
  repo: "repo/name",
  directory: "/",
  branch: branch,
)
Record
GHSA-23f7-99jx-m54r
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
dependabot-omnibus
RubyGems
 0.119.0.beta1 up to 0.125.1
0.125.1
dependabot-common
RubyGems
 0.119.0.beta1 up to 0.125.1
0.125.1
dependabot-omnibus
RubyGems
 0.119.0.beta1 up to 0.125.1, plus listed versions
0.119.00.119.10.119.20.119.30.119.4
Show 24 moreShow less
0.119.50.119.60.120.00.120.10.120.20.120.30.120.40.120.50.121.00.121.10.122.00.122.10.123.00.123.10.124.00.124.10.124.20.124.30.124.40.124.50.124.60.124.70.124.80.125.0
0.125.1
dependabot-common
RubyGems
 0.119.0.beta1 up to 0.125.1, plus listed versions
0.119.00.119.10.119.20.119.30.119.4
Show 24 moreShow less
0.119.50.119.60.120.00.120.10.120.20.120.30.120.40.120.50.121.00.121.10.122.00.122.10.123.00.123.10.124.00.124.10.124.20.124.30.124.40.124.50.124.60.124.70.124.80.125.0
0.125.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
facts
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-26222 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) in Dependabot Dependabot-core, published November 13, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.09%, the 87th percentile. Fixed in dependabot-omnibus 0.125.1.

References

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