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CVE-2025-23040

Maliciously crafted remote URLs could lead to credential leak in GitHub Desktop

6.6 MediumPublic exploit

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

0.76%Up 0.7 points since Jan 16, 2025
90%50%10%1%

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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
PoC in GitHubGabrieleDattile/CVE-2025-230402025-01-31

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, products, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE 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

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