cvedb.io
CVE-2021-32638
MEDIUM · CVSS 4.4
EPSS exploitation probability: 0%
Published 2021-05-25T17:15:08.290 · Last modified 2026-06-17T03:53:19.483

Summary

Github's CodeQL action is provided to run CodeQL-based code scanning on non-GitHub CI/CD systems and requires a GitHub access token to connect to a GitHub repository. The runner and its documentation previously suggested passing the GitHub token as a command-line parameter to the process instead of reading it from a file, standard input, or an environment variable. This approach made the token visible to other processes on the same machine, for example in the output of the `ps` command. If the CI system publicly exposes the output of `ps`, for example by logging the output, then the GitHub access token can be exposed beyond the scope intended. Users of the CodeQL runner on 3rd-party systems, who are passing a GitHub token via the `--github-auth` flag, are affected. This applies to both Git

Affected products

github — codeql_action

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References

This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Informational only; not professional security advice.