Enterprise ServerApplication · GitHub
CVE-2023-23762
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn incorrect comparison vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that allowed commit smuggling by displaying an incorrect diff. To do so, an attacker would need write access to the repository and be able to correctly guess the target branch before it’s created by the code maintainer. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.9 and was fixed in versions 3.4.18, 3.5.15, 3.6.11, 3.7.8, and 3.8.1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAn incorrect comparison vulnerability in GitHub Enterprise Server's diff display mechanism allowed attackers with write access to smuggle commits by displaying incorrect diffs. The flaw enabled showing different content than what was actually committed, requiring the attacker to guess the target branch name before creation.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Enterprise ServerApplication
< 3.4.18>= 3.5.0, < 3.5.15>= 3.6.0, < 3.6.11>= 3.7.0, < 3.7.8= 3.8.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the installed GitHub Enterprise Server versionAccess the GitHub Enterprise Server management console or admin dashboard. The version is typically displayed on the landing page or in the 'About' section of the admin settings. Alternatively, run 'ghe-version' from the administrative shell if available.Affected if The version cannot be determined or is not visible in the admin interface
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Compare your version against the affected rangesCheck if your installed version falls into any of these vulnerable ranges: < 3.4.18, >= 3.5.0 and < 3.5.15, >= 3.6.0 and < 3.6.11, >= 3.7.0 and < 3.7.8, or exactly version 3.8.0Affected if Your version matches any of these ranges or falls below 3.4.18
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Confirm the diff display feature is in useThe vulnerable component is the diff display mechanism used when viewing commit changes in the web interface. This feature is always active in any GitHub Enterprise Server installation that accepts code commits and allows users to view diffs via the web UI.Affected if GitHub Enterprise Server is deployed and users can view commit diffs through the web interface (this is the default state)
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Verify if write access and branch creation are permittedReview the repository settings to confirm whether users with write access can create branches and push commits. The attack requires the attacker to have write access and the ability to guess a target branch name.Affected if Users with write access can create branches and the repository allows branch name guessing through the diff display
You are affected if your GitHub Enterprise Server version falls within the vulnerable ranges (< 3.4.18, 3.5.0-3.5.14, 3.6.0-3.6.10, 3.7.0-3.7.7, or exactly 3.8.0) and users can view diffs via the web interface.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped3.4.183.5.153.6.11
Upgrade GitHub Enterprise Server to version 3.9 or later, or apply the specific patched versions (3.4.18, 3.5.15, 3.6.11, 3.7.8, or 3.8.1) corresponding to the deployed release line.
Upgrade to version 3.4.18, 3.5.15, 3.6.11, 3.7.8, 3.8.1, or later (or to version 3.9.0 or later)
- 1. Review the GitHub Enterprise Server upgrade prerequisites and ensure your system meets the requirements for the target version
- 2. Back up your GitHub Enterprise Server instance, including all data and configuration
- 3. Schedule a maintenance window as upgrades require downtime
- 4. Download the appropriate upgrade package for your current version path (3.4.x, 3.5.x, 3.6.x, 3.7.x, or 3.8.x)
- 5. Follow the official GitHub Enterprise Server upgrade documentation to apply the upgrade
- 6. After upgrade completes, verify the GitHub Enterprise Server is operational
- 7. Test repository functionality, particularly diff display and branch operations
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Enterprise Server
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,848.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-23762 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-23762 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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