CVE-2026-120263
Gitea OAuth2 account auto-linking takeover through the sign-up form
When [oauth2_client].ACCOUNT_LINKING is set to auto (not the default) and registration is enabled, the link-account sign-up form looked up the existing account to link by the user name or email submitted in the form instead of the identity asserted by the OAuth2 provider. An attacker with an account on a configured OAuth2 provider could submit another user's name, link their external identity to that Gitea account and be signed in as it without its password, including as an administrator. The link persisted for later sign-ins. Automatic linking now only happens when the existing account matches the provider's email or provider-derived user name; otherwise the account password is required.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.8
Gitea OAuth2 account auto-linking takeover through the sign-up form
When [oauth2_client].ACCOUNT_LINKING is set to auto (not the default) and registration is enabled, the link-account sign-up form looked up the existing account to link by the user name or email submitted in the form instead of the identity asserted by the OAuth2 provider. An attacker with an account on a configured OAuth2 provider could submit another user's name, link their external identity to that Gitea account and be signed in as it without its password, including as an administrator. The link persisted for later sign-ins. Automatic linking now only happens when the existing account matches the provider's email or provider-derived user name; otherwise the account password is required.
- Record
CVE-2026-120263- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-639
- Updated
- 2026-11-06
EUVDEUVD-2026-114790
9.8
When [oauth2_client].ACCOUNT_LINKING is set to auto (not the default) and registration is enabled, the link-account sign-up form looked up the existing account to link by the user name or email submitted in the form instead of the identity asserted by the OAuth2 provider. An attacker with an account on a configured OAuth2 provider could submit another user's name, link their external identity to that Gitea account and be signed in as it without its password, including as an administrator. The link persisted for later sign-ins. Automatic linking now only happens when the existing account matches the provider's email or provider-derived user name; otherwise the account password is required.
- Record
EUVD-2026-114790- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-06
NVD
9.8
When [oauth2_client].ACCOUNT_LINKING is set to auto (not the default) and registration is enabled, the link-account sign-up form looked up the existing account to link by the user name or email submitted in the form instead of the identity asserted by the OAuth2 provider. An attacker with an account on a configured OAuth2 provider could submit another user's name, link their external identity to that Gitea account and be signed in as it without its password, including as an administrator. The link persisted for later sign-ins. Automatic linking now only happens when the existing account matches the provider's email or provider-derived user name; otherwise the account password is required.
- Record
CVE-2026-120263- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-639
- Updated
- 2026-11-06
OSV
9.8
Gitea OAuth2 account auto-linking takeover through the sign-up form
When [oauth2_client].ACCOUNT_LINKING is set to auto (not the default) and registration is enabled, the link-account sign-up form looked up the existing account to link by the user name or email submitted in the form instead of the identity asserted by the OAuth2 provider. An attacker with an account on a configured OAuth2 provider could submit another user's name, link their external identity to that Gitea account and be signed in as it without its password, including as an administrator. The link persisted for later sign-ins. Automatic linking now only happens when the existing account matches the provider's email or provider-derived user name; otherwise the account password is required.
- Record
CVE-2026-120263- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-639
- Updated
- 2026-11-07
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts, severity | CVE List, OSV | |
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-120263 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Gitea, published November 1, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.34%, the 28th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-8p3x-w464-4g6v
github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/40121
github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/40137
blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.3.0
github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.3.0
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/120xxx/CVE-2026-120263.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120263