# CVE-2026-64653: GitHub CLI: Unescaped variable components in request URLs could allow path traversal

> Attacker-controlled repository values in GitHub CLI requests can bypass intended API endpoints due to missing URL encoding, potentially exposing or modifying unintended resources.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA: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:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-95465, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64653, GHSA-4fjg-2h4q-fwg3, GO-2026-6765, MINI-5v75-qcw6-7c88, MINI-h658-5r7w-9jg2, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64653

## What is CVE-2026-64653?

CVE-2026-64653 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in cli, published on 6 Aug 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

GitHub CLI (gh) is GitHub’s official command line tool. Prior to 2.97.0, some HTTP request URLs interpolate variable path components without percent encoding, allowing URL path metacharacters in attacker-controlled repository or resource values to make gh address a different API endpoint or resource than the user intended. This issue is fixed in version 2.97.0.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64653?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/cli/cli/v2 and github.com/cli/cli.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/cli/cli/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.97.0 |
| `github.com/cli/cli/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.97.0 |
| `github.com/cli/cli/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.97.0 |
| `github.com/cli/cli` | Go | All versions | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64653?

Upgrade github.com/cli/cli/v2 to 2.97.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-64653 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64653 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-64653 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64653 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in cli, published on 6 Aug 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64653 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/cli/cli/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.97.0
- github.com/cli/cli/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.97.0
- github.com/cli/cli/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.97.0
- github.com/cli/cli (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed

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-2026-64653/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64653/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64653
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64653
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64653

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64653/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.