# CVE-2021-28378: Cross-site Scripting in Gitea

> An attacker can inject malicious scripts via issue data in Gitea, potentially leading to session hijacking or code execution.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AC:H/AV:N/A:N/C:L/I:L/PR:L/S:U/UI:R`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-gitea-2021-28378, CLEANSTART-2025-BP00020, GHSA-g95p-88p4-76cm, GO-2022-0832

## What is CVE-2021-28378?

CVE-2021-28378 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Gitea Gitea, published on 15 Mar 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Gitea 1.12.x and 1.13.x before 1.13.4 allows XSS via certain issue data in some situations.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-28378?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including code.gitea.io/gitea and gitea. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `code.gitea.io/gitea` | Go | All versions | 1.13.4 |
| `code.gitea.io/gitea` | Go | All versions | 1.13.4 |
| `code.gitea.io/gitea` | Go | All versions | 1.13.4 |
| `gitea` | Bitnami | From 1.12.0 | 1.12.7, 1.13.4 |

Products: Gitea Gitea.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-28378?

Upgrade code.gitea.io/gitea to 1.13.4 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-28378 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-28378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/pandatix/CVE-2021-28378 (github_poc): https://github.com/pandatix/CVE-2021-28378

## Other vulnerabilities in Gitea Gitea

- [CVE-2026-60004](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-60004/): Gitea Code Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-73278](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73278/): Gitea WebAuthn bypass during OAuth and OIDC sign-in (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-94205](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-94205/): Gitea fork workflow approval bypass through maintainer-triggered events (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-42968](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42968/): Gitea vulnerable to Argument Injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-45330](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45330/): Improper Privilege Management in Gitea (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-28378 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-28378 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Gitea Gitea, published on 15 Mar 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-28378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- code.gitea.io/gitea (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.13.4
- code.gitea.io/gitea (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.13.4
- code.gitea.io/gitea (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.13.4
- gitea (Bitnami): affected from 1.12.0; fixed in 1.12.7, 1.13.4

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-2021-28378/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28378/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-28378
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-28378
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-28378

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28378/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.