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go-git: Credential leak via cross-host redirect in smart HTTP transport

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Apr 16, 2026 in go-git/go-git • Updated Apr 17, 2026

Package

gomod github.com/go-git/go-git/v5 (Go)

Affected versions

<= 5.17.2

Patched versions

5.18.0
gomod github.com/go-git/go-git/v6 (Go)
<= 6.0.0-alpha.1
6.0.0-alpha.2

Description

Impact

go-git may leak HTTP authentication credentials when following redirects during smart-HTTP clone and fetch operations.

If a remote repository responds to the initial /info/refs request with a redirect to a different host, go-git updates the session endpoint to the redirected location and reuses the original authentication for subsequent requests. This can result in the credentials (e.g. Authorization headers) being sent to an unintended host.

An attacker controlling or influencing the redirect target can capture these credentials and potentially reuse them to access the victim’s repositories or other resources, depending on the scope of the credential.

Clients using go-git exclusively with trusted remotes (for example, GitHub or GitLab), and over a secure HTTPS connection, are not affected by this issue. The risk arises when interacting with untrusted or misconfigured Git servers, or when using unsecured HTTP connections, which is not recommended. Such configurations also expose clients to a broader class of security risks beyond this issue, including credential interception and tampering of repository data.

Patches

Users should upgrade to v5.18.0, or v6.0.0-alpha.2, in order to mitigate this vulnerability. Versions prior to v5 are likely to be affected, users are recommended to upgrade to a supported go-git version.

The patched versions add support for configuring followRedirects. In line with upstream behaviour, the default is now initial, while users can opt into FollowRedirects or NoFollowRedirects programmatically.

Credit

Thanks to the 3 separate reports from @celinke97, @N0zoM1z0 and @AyushParkara. Thanks for finding and reporting this issue privately to the go-git project. 🙇

References

@pjbgf pjbgf published to go-git/go-git Apr 16, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Apr 17, 2026
Reviewed Apr 17, 2026
Last updated Apr 17, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N

EPSS score

Weaknesses

Insufficiently Protected Credentials

The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

No known CVE

GHSA ID

GHSA-3xc5-wrhm-f963

Source code

Credits

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