CVE-2025-11578
What it is
A privilege escalation vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed an authenticated Enterprise admin to gain root SSH access to the appliance by exploiting a symlink escape in pre-receive hook environments. By crafting a malicious repository and environment, an attacker could replace system binaries during hook cleanup and execute a payload that adds their own SSH key to the root user’s authorized keys—thereby granting themselves root SSH access to the server. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needed to have enterprise admin privileges. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.19, and was fixed in versions 3.14.20, 3.15.15, 3.16.11, 3.17.8, 3.18.2. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network with an admin-level account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.
- Exploit odds
- 0.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.7% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 7.5 HIGH (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.7% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Record status
- Analyzed
Affected
- GitHub Enterprise Server < 3.14.20
- GitHub Enterprise Server < 3.15.15
- GitHub Enterprise Server < 3.16.11
- GitHub Enterprise Server < 3.17.8
- GitHub Enterprise Server < 3.18.2
Attack profile CVSS 4.0 · 7.5
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2025-11578.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2025-11578. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.14.20
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.15.15
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.16.11
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.17.8
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.18.2
References
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.14.20
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.15.15
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.16.11
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.17.8
- https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/admin/release-notes#3.18.2