Findings

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-20896

Gitea Gitea Improper Access Control

Published Jul 6, 2026 · corrected/updated Jul 6, 2026 · Gitea Gitea Open Source Git Server · evidence confidence very high

Gitea Docker image versions up to and including 1.26.2 use REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES=* by default, allowing any source IP to impersonate a user when reverse-proxy authentication headers such as X-WEBAUTH-USER are enabled. Initial-access exploit intelligence.

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2026-20896 is a unknown public vulnerability record for Gitea Gitea Open Source Git Server. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether Gitea Gitea Open Source Git Server is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: Gitea Gitea Open Source Git Server. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: EPSS 2.8%. CISA lists it as known exploited. Sources contributing to this record: epss, vulncheck_kev. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Confirmed in CISA KEV since Jul 6, 2026. Listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV.

  • Patch and remediation

    Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jul 6, 2026 · VulnCheck KEV

    Detected

    Gitea Docker image versions up to and including 1.26.2 use REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES=* by default, allowing any source IP to impersonate a user when reverse-proxy authentication headers such as X-WEBAUTH-USER are enabled. Initial-access exploit intelligence.

  2. Jul 6, 2026 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.

Affected

  • vendor Gitea Gitea Open Source Git Serverversion unspecified

Sources

  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-20896

    30-day exploitation probability 2.8%

    first.org
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2026-20896

    Gitea Docker image versions up to and including 1.26.2 use REVERSE_PROXY_TRUSTED_PROXIES=* by default, allowing any source IP to impersonate a user when reverse-proxy authentication headers such as X-WEBAUTH-USER are enabled.

    vulncheck.com

References