# CVE-2026-24480: QGIS had validated RCE and Repository Takeover via GitHub Actions

> Attackers could execute arbitrary code and compromise the repository by submitting malicious pull requests to the QGIS GitHub Actions workflow.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 27 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7h99-4f97-h6rw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-24480

## What is CVE-2026-24480?

CVE-2026-24480 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in QGIS, published on 27 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

QGIS is a free, open source, cross platform geographical information system (GIS) The repository contains a GitHub Actions workflow called "pre-commit checks" that, before commit 76a693cd91650f9b4e83edac525e5e4f90d954e9, was vulnerable to remote code execution and repository compromise because it used the `pull_request_target` trigger and then checked out and executed untrusted pull request code in a privileged context. Workflows triggered by `pull_request_target` ran with the base repository's credentials and access to secrets. If these workflows then checked out and executed code from the head of an external pull request (which could have been attacker controlled), the attacker could have executed arbitrary commands with elevated privileges. This insecure pattern has been documented as a security risk by GitHub and security researchers. Commit 76a693cd91650f9b4e83edac525e5e4f90d954e9 removed the vulnerable code.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-24480?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-24480?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-24480 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-24480 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-24480 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Security-research lab: CVE-2026-24480 pull_request_target pre-commit RCE in qgis/QGIS (snapshot at vulnerable commit) (github_poc): https://github.com/pvharmo2/gha-lab-b16a4f3554

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-24480 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-24480 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in QGIS, published on 27 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-24480 exists.

Affected product: QGIS. 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-2026-24480/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24480/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-24480
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24480
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-24480

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24480/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.