CVE-2025-23040
Maliciously crafted remote URLs could lead to credential leak in GitHub Desktop
GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke git clone and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.6
Maliciously crafted remote URLs could lead to credential leak in GitHub Desktop
GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke git clone and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.
- Record
CVE-2025-23040- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-522
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-3091
6.6
GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke git clone and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.
- Record
EUVD-2025-3091- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
NVD
6.6
GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke git clone and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.
- Record
CVE-2025-23040- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-522
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.6
Maliciously crafted remote URLs could lead to credential leak in GitHub Desktop
GitHub Desktop is an open-source Electron-based GitHub app designed for git development. An attacker convincing a user to clone a repository directly or through a submodule can allow the attacker access to the user's credentials through the use of maliciously crafted remote URL. GitHub Desktop relies on Git to perform all network related operations (such as cloning, fetching, and pushing). When a user attempts to clone a repository GitHub Desktop will invoke git clone and when Git encounters a remote which requires authentication it will request the credentials for that remote host from GitHub Desktop using the git-credential protocol. Using a maliciously crafted URL it's possible to cause the credential request coming from Git to be misinterpreted by Github Desktop such that it will send credentials for a different host than the host that Git is currently communicating with thereby allowing for secret exfiltration. GitHub username and OAuth token, or credentials for other Git remote hosts stored in GitHub Desktop could be improperly transmitted to an unrelated host. Users should update to GitHub Desktop 3.4.12 or greater which fixes this vulnerability. Users who suspect they may be affected should revoke any relevant credentials.
- Record
CVE-2025-23040- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-522
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | GabrieleDattile/CVE-2025-23040 | 2025-01-31 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, products, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2025-23040 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.6) in Desktop, published January 15, 2025. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.76%, the 55th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/desktop/desktop/security/advisories/GHSA-36mm-rh9q-cpqq
docs.github.com/en/apps/using-github-apps/reviewing-and-revoking-authorization-of-github-apps
git-scm.com/docs/git-credential
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2025/23xxx/CVE-2025-23040.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23040