CVE-2023-22726
Unrestricted file upload leading to privilege escalation in act
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation. The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open. The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server. This has been addressed in version 0.2.40. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may, during implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal or clean the user-provided paths manually.
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
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.0
Unrestricted file upload leading to privilege escalation in act
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation. The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open. The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server. This has been addressed in version 0.2.40. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may, during implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal or clean the user-provided paths manually.
- Record
CVE-2023-22726- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-434
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0514
8.0
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation. The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open. The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server. This has been addressed in version 0.2.40. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may, during implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal or clean the user-provided paths manually.
- Record
EUVD-2023-0514- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-pc99-qmg4-rcff
8.8
act vulnerable to arbitrary file upload in artifact server
Impact
The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation.
Issue 1: Arbitrary file upload in artifact server (GHSL-2023-004)
The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open.
router.PUT("/upload/:runId", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, params httprouter.Params) {
itemPath := req.URL.Query().Get("itemPath")
runID := params.ByName("runId")
if req.Header.Get("Content-Encoding") == "gzip" {
itemPath += gzipExtension
}
filePath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runID, itemPath)
Issue 2: Arbitrary file download in artifact server (GHSL-2023-004)
The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server.
router.GET("/artifact/*path", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, params httprouter.Params) {
path := params.ByName("path")[1:]
file, err := fsys.Open(path)
Proof of Concept
Below I have written a Github Action that will upload secret.txt into the folder above the specified artifact directory. The first call to curl will create the directory named 1 if it does not already exist, and the second call to curl will upload the secret.txt file to the directory above the specified artifact directory.
When testing this POC, the --artifact-server-path parameter must be passed to act in order to enable the artifact server.
Replace yourIPandPort with the IP and port of the server. An attacker can enumerate /proc/net/tcp in order to find the artifact server IP and port, but this is out of the scope of this report. Please let me know if you would like a copy of this script.
name: CI
on: push
jobs:
test:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- run: echo "Here are some secrets" > secret.txt
- run: curl http://<yourIPandPort>/upload/1?itemPath=secret.txt --upload-file secret.txt
- run: curl http://<yourIPandPort>/upload/1?itemPath=../../secret.txt --upload-file secret.txt
Remediation
- During implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, please ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal. See more here: https://pkg.go.dev/io/fs#FS
- Clean the user-provided paths manually
Patches
Version 0.2.40 contains a patch.
Workarounds
Avoid use of artifact server with --artifact-server-path
- Record
GHSA-pc99-qmg4-rcff- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-434
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.0
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation. The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open. The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server. This has been addressed in version 0.2.40. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may, during implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal or clean the user-provided paths manually.
- Record
CVE-2023-22726- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-434, CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.0
Unrestricted file upload leading to privilege escalation in act
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation. The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open. The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server. This has been addressed in version 0.2.40. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may, during implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal or clean the user-provided paths manually.
- Record
CVE-2023-22726- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-434
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-pc99-qmg4-rcff
8.8
act vulnerable to arbitrary file upload in artifact server
Impact
The artifact server that stores artifacts from Github Action runs does not sanitize path inputs. This allows an attacker to download and overwrite arbitrary files on the host from a Github Action. This issue may lead to privilege escalation.
Issue 1: Arbitrary file upload in artifact server (GHSL-2023-004)
The /upload endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as filepath is user controlled, and ultimately flows into os.Mkdir and os.Open.
router.PUT("/upload/:runId", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, params httprouter.Params) {
itemPath := req.URL.Query().Get("itemPath")
runID := params.ByName("runId")
if req.Header.Get("Content-Encoding") == "gzip" {
itemPath += gzipExtension
}
filePath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runID, itemPath)
Issue 2: Arbitrary file download in artifact server (GHSL-2023-004)
The /artifact endpoint is vulnerable to path traversal as the path is variable is user controlled, and the specified file is ultimately returned by the server.
router.GET("/artifact/*path", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, params httprouter.Params) {
path := params.ByName("path")[1:]
file, err := fsys.Open(path)
Proof of Concept
Below I have written a Github Action that will upload secret.txt into the folder above the specified artifact directory. The first call to curl will create the directory named 1 if it does not already exist, and the second call to curl will upload the secret.txt file to the directory above the specified artifact directory.
When testing this POC, the --artifact-server-path parameter must be passed to act in order to enable the artifact server.
Replace yourIPandPort with the IP and port of the server. An attacker can enumerate /proc/net/tcp in order to find the artifact server IP and port, but this is out of the scope of this report. Please let me know if you would like a copy of this script.
name: CI
on: push
jobs:
test:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- run: echo "Here are some secrets" > secret.txt
- run: curl http://<yourIPandPort>/upload/1?itemPath=secret.txt --upload-file secret.txt
- run: curl http://<yourIPandPort>/upload/1?itemPath=../../secret.txt --upload-file secret.txt
Remediation
- During implementation of Open and OpenAtEnd for FS, please ensure to use ValidPath() to check against path traversal. See more here: https://pkg.go.dev/io/fs#FS
- Clean the user-provided paths manually
Patches
Version 0.2.40 contains a patch.
Workarounds
Avoid use of artifact server with --artifact-server-path
- Record
GHSA-pc99-qmg4-rcff- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-434
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2023-1504 No score
act vulnerable to arbitrary file upload in artifact server in github.com/nektos/act
act vulnerable to arbitrary file upload in artifact server in github.com/nektos/act
- Record
GO-2023-1504- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/nektos/actGo |
through 0.2.39 | 0.2.40 |
github.com/nektos/actGo |
before 0.2.40 | 0.2.40 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-22726 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.0) in Act Project Act, published January 20, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.29%, the 70th percentile. Fixed in github.com/nektos/act 0.2.40.
References
github.com/nektos/act/security/advisories/GHSA-pc99-qmg4-rcff
github.com/nektos/act/issues/1553
github.com/nektos/act/commit/63ae215071f94569d910964bdee866d91d6e3a10
github.com/nektos/act/blob/master/pkg/artifacts/server.go
github.com/nektos/act/blob/v0.2.35/pkg/artifacts/server.go
securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-004_act