# CVE-2026-52809: Gogs: Password-reset tokens use account-activation lifetime, ignoring RESET_PASSWORD_CODE_LIVES

> Attackers can exploit password-reset tokens beyond the configured expiration time because the system incorrectly uses the account-activation lifetime instead of the reset password lifetime.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5c3f-6486-3g7g, GO-2026-5140

## What is CVE-2026-52809?

CVE-2026-52809 is a medium-severity vulnerability in gogs, published on 24 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Gogs is an open source self-hosted Git service. Prior to 0.14.3, password-reset tokens are generated using conf.Auth.ActivateCodeLives (the account-activation lifetime), not conf.Auth.ResetPasswordCodeLives. The token lifetime is baked into the token itself at generation time and is re-extracted from the token at verification time, making RESET_PASSWORD_CODE_LIVES irrelevant to actual enforcement. When an administrator configures a shorter reset window (e.g., 10 minutes) for compliance or security reasons, reset tokens remain exploitable for the full activation lifetime instead, while the reset email falsely advertises the shorter expiry. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.14.3.

Weakness: CWE-613 (DEPRECATED: Insufficient Session Expiration), CWE-324 (Use of a Key Past its Expiration Date)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-52809?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including gogs.io/gogs.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `gogs.io/gogs` | Go | All versions | None |
| `gogs.io/gogs` | Go | All versions | 0.14.3 |
| `gogs.io/gogs` | Go | All versions | 0.14.3 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-52809?

Upgrade gogs.io/gogs to 0.14.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-52809 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-52809 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-52809 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-52809 is a medium-severity vulnerability in gogs, published on 24 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-52809 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- gogs.io/gogs (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- gogs.io/gogs (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.14.3
- gogs.io/gogs (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.14.3

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-2026-52809/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52809/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-52809
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52809
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-52809

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52809/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.