# CVE-2026-55701: OpenTelemetry githubreceiver silently ignores configured required_headers authentication


- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-55701, ECHO-afb7-f2ac-1f9d, GHSA-w5cv-pw74-4rxc, GO-2026-5690, MINI-3rvj-hrg4-3rq9, MINI-74cq-922c-fj5v, MINI-f4vg-396w-8j48, MINI-ggvw-j7vx-5vqg, MINI-qjx6-wmmv-qgpp, MINI-w6p7-45xx-42h4

## What is CVE-2026-55701?

CVE-2026-55701 is a medium-severity vulnerability in github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver, published on 15 Sep 2026. 

### Official description

The OpenTelemetry Collector Contrib repository contains components for the OpenTelemetry Collector. Prior to 0.151.0, the githubreceiver validates the receiver/githubreceiver/config.go RequiredHeaders configuration at startup, but receiver/githubreceiver/trace_receiver.go handleReq() does not check those headers on incoming webhook requests. An unauthenticated sender can therefore bypass an operator's required_headers authentication control and submit arbitrary webhook payloads. When the Secret field is empty, github.ValidatePayload also skips HMAC validation, leaving the webhook endpoint without either configured authentication mechanism. Successful exploitation can inject fabricated CI/CD trace data into the observability pipeline. This issue is fixed in version 0.151.0.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-55701?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver` | Go | All versions | 0.151.0 |
| `github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver` | Go | All versions | 0.151.0 |
| `github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver` | Go | All versions | 0.151.0 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-55701?

Upgrade github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver to 0.151.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-55701 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-55701 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-55701 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-55701 is a medium-severity vulnerability in github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver, published on 15 Sep 2026. 
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-55701 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.151.0
- github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.151.0
- github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/receiver/githubreceiver (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.151.0

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-2026-55701/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-55701/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-55701
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55701
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-55701

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-55701/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.