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CVE-2024-53858

Recursive repository cloning can leak authentication tokens to non-GitHub submodule hosts in the gh cli

MEDIUM
6.5
CVSS Score
Published: November 27, 2024 at 09:25 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 08:09 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsCliCli

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Severity
MEDIUM6.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

The gh cli is GitHub’s official command line tool. A security vulnerability has been identified in the GitHub CLI that could leak authentication tokens when cloning repositories containing `git` submodules hosted outside of GitHub.com and ghe.com. This vulnerability stems from several `gh` commands used to clone a repository with submodules from a non-GitHub host including `gh repo clone`, `gh repo fork`, and `gh pr checkout`. These GitHub CLI commands invoke git with instructions to retrieve authentication tokens using the `credential.helper` configuration variable for any host encountered. Prior to version `2.63.0`, hosts other than GitHub.com and ghe.com are treated as GitHub Enterprise Server hosts and have tokens sourced from the following environment variables before falling back to host-specific tokens stored within system-specific secured storage: 1. `GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN`, 2. `GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN` and 3. `GITHUB_TOKEN` when the `CODESPACES` environment variable is set. The result being `git` sending authentication tokens when cloning submodules. In version `2.63.0`, these GitHub CLI commands will limit the hosts for which `gh` acts as a credential helper to source authentication tokens. Additionally, `GITHUB_TOKEN` will only be used for GitHub.com and ghe.com. Users are advised to upgrade. Additionally users are advised to revoke authentication tokens used with the GitHub CLI and to review their personal security log and any relevant audit logs for actions associated with their account or enterprise

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Cli· Cli
60%
v < 2.63.0
Affected range stops below 2.63.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Cli· GitHubgithub-action
60%
v < 2.63.0
Affected range stops below 2.63.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

References (2)

x_refsource_MISC
Source: [email protected]
https://git-scm.com/docs/gitcredentials
x_refsource_CONFIRM
Source: [email protected]
https://github.com/cli/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-jwcm-9g39-pmcw

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

6.5MEDIUMGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
LOW
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusDEFERRED
CWE
CWE-200

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