# CVE-2020-10516: Improper access control in GitHub Enterprise Server leading to privilege escalation of organization member

> An organization member can escalate permissions to access unauthorized repositories within the organization via the API.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f436-2f67-fg74

## What is CVE-2020-10516?

CVE-2020-10516 is a critical vulnerability in GitHub Enterprise Server, published on 3 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An improper access control vulnerability was identified in the GitHub Enterprise Server API that allowed an organization member to escalate permissions and gain access to unauthorized repositories within an organization. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 2.21 and was fixed in 2.20.9, 2.19.15, and 2.18.20. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.

Weakness: CWE-552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties), CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-10516?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Github Github.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-10516?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-10516 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-10516 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-10516 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in GitHub Enterprise Server

- [CVE-2017-18365](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18365/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10519](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10519/): Unsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to remote code execution on GitHub Enterprise Server (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-10518](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10518/): Unsafe configuration options in GitHub Pages leading to remote code execution on GitHub Enterprise Server (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-22863](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22863/): Missing authorization in GitHub Enterprise Server (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2012-2055](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2055/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-10516 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-10516 is a critical vulnerability in GitHub Enterprise Server, published on 3 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-10516 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: GitHub Enterprise Server. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10516/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10516/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10516
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10516
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-10516

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10516/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.