Missing authorization in GitHub Enterprise Server allowed repository writers to replace default branches via GraphQL

A missing authorization vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed a repository collaborator with write access to delete the current default branch through the GraphQL API and cause an attacker-controlled branch to become the new default. In repositories that required pull-request review but did not restrict branch deletion, this bypassed the review requirement and caused fresh clones and default-branch API requests to use attacker-controlled content. This vulnerability affected supported GitHub Enterprise Server releases in the 3.18, 3.19, 3.20, 3.21, and 3.22 series and was fixed in versions 3.18.16, 3.19.13, 3.20.9, 3.21.7, and 3.22.2. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.

Source published

6 Oct 2026 18:56:41 UTC

Source modified

7 Oct 2026 16:32:08 UTC

Observed here

23 Oct 2026 15:48:27 UTC

Source terms

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CVSS 4.0 · 6.0 CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N