How severe is CVE-2021-22862?

CVE-2021-22862 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-22862 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (53rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-22862?

CVE-2021-22862 primarily affects Github. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-22862?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-22862 published?

CVE-2021-22862 was published on 2021-03-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-22862

CVE-2021-22862 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Github with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-285.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
CVSS v2: 4.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (53rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-285
Affected product: Github
Published: 2021-03-03
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed an authenticated user with the ability to fork a repository to disclose Actions secrets for the parent repository of the fork. This vulnerability existed due to a flaw that allowed the base reference of a pull request to be updated to point to an arbitrary SHA or another pull request outside of the fork repository. By establishing this incorrect reference in a PR, the restrictions that limit the Actions secrets sent a workflow from forks could be bypassed. This vulnerability affected GitHub Enterprise Server version 3.0.0, 3.0.0.rc2, and 3.0.0.rc1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-22862?: An improper access control vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed an authenticated user with the ability to fork a repository to disclose Actions secrets for the parent repository of the fork. This vulnerability existed due to a flaw that allowed the base reference of a pull request to be updated to point to an arbitrary SHA or another pull request outside of the fork repository. By establishing this incorrect reference in a PR, the restrictions that limit the Actions secrets sent a workflow from forks could be bypassed. This vulnerability affected GitHub Enterprise Server version 3.0.0, 3.0.0.rc2, and 3.0.0.rc1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
How severe is CVE-2021-22862?: CVE-2021-22862 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-22862 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (53rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-22862?: CVE-2021-22862 primarily affects Github. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-22862?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-22862 published?: CVE-2021-22862 was published on 2021-03-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://docs.github.com/en/enterprise-server%403.0/admin/release-notes#3.0.1

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:github:github:3.0.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:github:github:3.0.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:github:github:3.0.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*

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