CVE-2025-54416 tj-actions/branch-names Contains Command Injection Vulnerability
Attackers can execute arbitrary commands in downstream workflows via crafted branch names in the tj-actions/branch-names GitHub Action.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-54416?
CVE-2025-54416 is a critical command injection vulnerability in tj-actions branch-names, published on 26 Jul 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
tj-actions/branch-names is a Github actions repository that contains workflows to retrieve branch or tag names with support for all events. In versions 8.2.1 and below, a critical vulnerability has been identified in the tj-actions/branch-names' GitHub Action workflow which allows arbitrary command execution in downstream workflows. This issue arises due to inconsistent input sanitization and unescaped output, enabling malicious actors to exploit specially crafted branch names or tags. While internal sanitization mechanisms have been implemented, the action outputs remain vulnerable, exposing consuming workflows to significant security risks. This is fixed in version 9.0.0
Weakness: CWE-77
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-54416?
1 open source package ship an affected version, including tj-actions/branch-names.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
tj-actions/branch-names GitHub Actions | All versions | 9.0.0 |
How do I fix CVE-2025-54416?
Upgrade tj-actions/branch-names to 9.0.0 or later.
Upgrade, and pass arguments to programs as a list instead of through a shell. More about Command injection.
Is CVE-2025-54416 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-54416 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-gq52-6phf-x2r6.