CVE-2026-64653 — GitHub CLI: Unescaped variable components in request URLs could allow path traversal
GitHub CLI (gh) is GitHub’s official command line tool. Prior to 2.97.0, some HTTP request URLs interpolate variable path components without percent encoding, allowing URL path metacharacters in attacker-controlled repository or resource values to make gh address a different API endpoint or resource than the user intended. This issue is fixed in version 2.97.0.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Cli Cli).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (file handling), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.1 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Monitor file creation in web directories and paths with traversal sequences (../).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · cli/cli
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 5.1
- Source status changed · → Awaiting Analysis
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
3 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Low CVE-2026-72924 GitHub CLI: `gh codespace ports forward` exposes forwarded services on all network interfaces by default Aug 25, 2026
- Low CVE-2026-64652 GitHub CLI: Partial token disclosure in `gh auth status` output Aug 6, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-64654 GitHub CLI: Terminal escape sequence injection in multiple `gh` commands Aug 6, 2026
- Low CVE-2026-64655 GitHub CLI: Attestation Verification Bypass via Unescaped Regex Metacharacters in SAN Matching Aug 6, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-59831 GitHub CLI `gh codespace jupyter` could allow remote code execution when connecting to a malicious Codespace Jul 9, 2026
- Critical CVE-2026-48501 GitHub CLI tokens leak via `gh attestation` commands May 29, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No FIRST EPSS score.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-64653 is "GitHub CLI: Unescaped variable components in request URLs could allow path traversal", rated Medium. It affects Cli (Cli); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.1 describes technical severity. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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