CVE-2021-22869: Improper access control in GitHub Enterprise Server allows self-hosted runners to execute outside their control group
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 39/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1.1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 68.2% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: GitHub GitHub Enterprise Server 3.0.16.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to GitHub GitHub Enterprise Server 3.0.16 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
An improper access control vulnerability in GitHub Enterprise Server allowed a workflow job to execute in a self-hosted runner group it should not have had access to. This affects customers using self-hosted runner groups for access control. A repository with access to one enterprise runner group could access all of the enterprise runner groups within the organization because of improper authentication checks during the request. This could cause code to be run unintentionally by the incorrect runner group. This vulnerability affected GitHub Enterprise Server versions from 3.0.0 to 3.0.15 and 3.1.0 to 3.1.7 and was fixed in 3.0.16 and 3.1.8 releases.
- Published
- Sep 24, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.1% · 68th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-668
Report tools
Action score
39
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.1%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| github | enterprise server | cpe:2.3:a:github:enterprise_server |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- github enterprise server3.0.0 and later · before 3.0.16
- github enterprise server3.1.0 and later · before 3.1.8
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_P). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
GitHub GitHub Enterprise Server
- 3.0 and later · before 3.0.16affected
- 3.1 and later · before 3.1.8affected
Same product
github: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2024-0200Unsafe Reflection in Github Enterprise Server leading to Command Injection61This week
- CVE-2024-0507Privilege Escalation by Code Injection in the Management Console in GitHub Enterprise Server55Plan
- CVE-2026-3854Remote code execution via git push option injection in GitHub Enterprise Server47Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2021-22867Jul 14, 2021 · Unsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to path traversal on GitHub Enterprise Server26Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2021-22868Sep 24, 2021 · Unsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to path traversal on GitHub Enterprise Server17Monitor
- Later →CVE-2021-22870Nov 9, 2021 · Path traversal in GitHub Enterprise Server hosted Pages leads to unauthorized file read access26Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub GitHub Enterprise Server | 3.0.16 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
—
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
- CVE-2021-41599146 days apartImproper control flow in GitHub Enterprise Server hosted Pages leads to remote code execution36Monitor
- CVE-2021-2287046 days apartPath traversal in GitHub Enterprise Server hosted Pages leads to unauthorized file read access26Monitor
- CVE-2021-2286772 days apartUnsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to path traversal on GitHub Enterprise Server26Monitor
- CVE-2021-228680 days apartUnsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to path traversal on GitHub Enterprise Server17Monitor
Bug bounty scope
The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-668 · Exposure of Resource to Wrong SphereCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (1 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.