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Enterprise ServerApplication · GitHub

CVE-2023-6802

MEDIUM · 6.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-12-21
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.8.12 / 3.9.7 or later.
See remediation →
71/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 · unedited
An insertion of sensitive information into the log file in the audit log in GitHub Enterprise Server was identified that could allow an attacker to gain access to the management console. To exploit this, an attacker would need access to the log files for the GitHub Enterprise Server appliance, a backup archive created with GitHub Enterprise Server Backup Utilities, or a service which received streamed logs. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server since 3.8 and was fixed in version 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, and 3.11.1. 

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 confidence

GitHub Enterprise Server versions 3.8 through the unpatched releases of 3.8.x, 3.9.x, 3.10.x, and 3.11.x write sensitive information—likely management console credentials or authentication tokens—to audit logs. An attacker with access to these log files, backup archives created with GitHub Enterprise Server Backup Utilities, or a service receiving streamed logs can extract this sensitive information to gain unauthorized access to the management console.

MitigationUpgrade to GitHub Enterprise Server version 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, or 3.11.1 or later. Until patched, strictly limit access to log directories, backup archives, and log streaming endpoints to prevent credential exposure.

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
Affected:>= 3.8.0, < 3.8.12>= 3.9.0, < 3.9.7>= 3.10.0, < 3.10.4= 3.11.0

CVSS 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
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Determine GitHub Enterprise Server version
    Run 'ghe-version' command in the management console SSH or check /usr/local/etc/github enterprise version file
    Affected if Installed version falls within any of these ranges: >= 3.8.0 and < 3.8.12, >= 3.9.0 and < 3.9.7, >= 3.10.0 and < 3.10.4, or exactly 3.11.0
  2. Verify if audit logging is enabled
    Check the management console under 'Audit log' settings or query the audit log API endpoint /enterprise/audit-log
    Affected if Audit logging is enabled and the server version is in the affected ranges above
  3. Inspect audit log files for credential exposure
    Locate audit log files in /var/log/github/audit.log or the configured audit log directory, then search for patterns matching password, token, or session credentials in plain text
    Affected if Audit logs contain unencrypted management console credentials or authentication tokens
  4. Check for backup archive exposure
    Review access controls on backup archives created with GitHub Enterprise Server Backup Utilities, typically stored in /data/backups
    Affected if Backup archives exist and are accessible to unauthorized users, and the GitHub Enterprise Server version is in the affected ranges

The environment is affected if GitHub Enterprise Server version is 3.8.0-3.8.11, 3.9.0-3.9.6, 3.10.0-3.10.3, or 3.11.0 AND audit logging or backups are in use, allowing potential credential extraction from logs or archives.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 3.8.12 / 3.9.7 / 3.10.4 or later
Fixed in 3.8.123.9.73.10.4
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to GitHub Enterprise Server version 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, or 3.11.1 or later. Until patched, strictly limit access to log directories, backup archives, and log streaming endpoints to prevent credential exposure.

Recommended fix High confidence

3.11.1 (or 3.8.12/3.9.7/3.10.4 depending on current version)

  1. 1. Back up your GitHub Enterprise Server instance before proceeding with any upgrade
  2. 2. Review the GitHub Enterprise Server release notes for your target version (3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, or 3.11.1) for any known issues or migration requirements
  3. 3. Schedule a maintenance window as upgrades require downtime
  4. 4. Upgrade GitHub Enterprise Server to the appropriate fixed version based on your current version: For 3.8.x -> 3.8.12; For 3.9.x -> 3.9.7; For 3.10.x -> 3.10.4; For 3.11.0 -> 3.11.1
  5. 5. After upgrade, verify the management console is accessible and audit logging is functioning correctly
  6. 6. Review new log files to confirm sensitive information is no longer being written
Caveat Standard upgrade precautions apply - ensure complete backup before proceeding, and test in a staging environment if possible

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Enterprise Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,760
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-6802 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data