CVE-2021-41598Network attack vector

Excess permissions via incomplete reauthorization display

Published Jan 25, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

UI misrepresentation in affected GitHub Enterprise Server 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 releases allows attackers to obtain extra app permissions. During repository-scope updates, the user-authorization flow omits newly configured user-level permissions from the approval display while still granting them. Exploitation requires an attacker-created GitHub App, initial user authorization, and a later repository-set change, leaving the app with permissions beyond those displayed during reauthorization.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

UI misrepresentation in affected GitHub Enterprise Server 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 releases allows attackers to obtain extra app permissions. During repository-scope updates, the user-authorization flow omits newly configured user-level permissions from the approval display while still granting them. Exploitation requires an attacker-created GitHub App, initial user authorization, and a later repository-set change, leaving the app with permissions beyond those displayed during reauthorization.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41598
Published
Jan 25, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Twitter
Product
GitHub Enterprise Server
Classifications
CWE-451
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 25, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.0 <3.0.21
  2. Affected versionversion=3.1 <3.1.13
  3. Affected versionversion=3.2 <3.2.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Twitter · GitHub Enterprise Serverversion=3.0 <3.0.21; version=3.1 <3.1.13; version=3.2 <3.2.5

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-451User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo