CVE-2021-22865
Improper access control in GitHub Enterprise Server leading to unauthorized read access to private repository metadata
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed access tokens generated from a GitHub App's web authentication flow to read private repository metadata via the REST API without having been granted the appropriate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to create a GitHub App on the instance and have a user authorize the application through the web authentication flow. The private repository metadata returned would be limited to repositories owned by the user the token identifies. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.0.4 and was fixed in versions 3.0.4, 2.22.10, 2.21.18. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
6.5
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed access tokens generated from a GitHub App's web authentication flow to read private repository metadata via the REST API without having been granted the appropriate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to create a GitHub App on the instance and have a user authorize the application through the web authentication flow. The private repository metadata returned would be limited to repositories owned by the user the token identifies. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.0.4 and was fixed in versions 3.0.4, 2.22.10, 2.21.18. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
- Record
CVE-2021-22865- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-285
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Improper access control in GitHub Enterprise Server leading to unauthorized read access to private repository metadata
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed access tokens generated from a GitHub App's web authentication flow to read private repository metadata via the REST API without having been granted the appropriate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to create a GitHub App on the instance and have a user authorize the application through the web authentication flow. The private repository metadata returned would be limited to repositories owned by the user the token identifies. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.0.4 and was fixed in versions 3.0.4, 2.22.10, 2.21.18. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
- Record
CVE-2021-22865- Weakness
- CWE-285
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-10000 No score
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed access tokens generated from a GitHub App's web authentication flow to read private repository metadata via the REST API without having been granted the appropriate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to create a GitHub App on the instance and have a user authorize the application through the web authentication flow. The private repository metadata returned would be limited to repositories owned by the user the token identifies. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.0.4 and was fixed in versions 3.0.4, 2.22.10, 2.21.18. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
- Record
EUVD-2021-10000- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-735f-v862-xcr3
6.5
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed...
An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed access tokens generated from a GitHub App's web authentication flow to read private repository metadata via the REST API without having been granted the appropriate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to create a GitHub App on the instance and have a user authorize the application through the web authentication flow. The private repository metadata returned would be limited to repositories owned by the user the token identifies. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.0.4 and was fixed in versions 3.0.4, 2.22.10, 2.21.18. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
- Record
GHSA-735f-v862-xcr3- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-22865 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Github Enterprise Server, published April 2, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.36%, the 71st percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
docs.github.com/en/enterprise-server%403.0/admin/release-notes
docs.github.com/en/enterprise-server%402.22/admin/release-notes
docs.github.com/en/enterprise-server%402.21/admin/release-notes
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22865
docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes
docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes
docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes
github.com/advisories/GHSA-735f-v862-xcr3