# CVE-2026-73804: Gitea API token scope escalation through HTTP signatures

> Attackers with write:user scope tokens can register SSH keys to bypass API scope checks, escalating privileges to full account access.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A: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:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q55v-4cmj-xh65

## What is CVE-2026-73804?

CVE-2026-73804 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gitea, published on 14 Oct 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Gitea allows a token with write:user scope to register an attacker-controlled SSH public key on the token owner's account. API requests signed with the corresponding private key authenticate as that account through HTTP Signature without API token scope information, causing route-level token scope checks to be skipped. This converts a user-scoped token into an unscoped API authentication method while retaining the account's normal role and repository permissions.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73804?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-73804?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-73804 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-73804 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-73804 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-73804 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73804 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gitea, published on 14 Oct 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-2026-73804 exists.

Affected product: Gitea. 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-2026-73804/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73804/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73804
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73804
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73804

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73804/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.