---
id: "CVE-2026-12664"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-12664"]
title: "GitLab: read_api token can bypass scope and create work items"
severity: "medium"
cvss: 6.8
epss: 0.00249
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "vendor"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["ci-cd", "gitlab", "self-hosted", "vendor"]
not_affected_if: ["auth-required", "managed-hosting"]
published_at: "2026-10-22T01:16:59+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:30+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T03:42:54+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12664", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:30+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-12664", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-24T07:15:52+00:00"}]
---

# GitLab: read_api token can bypass scope and create work items

A GraphQL field in GitLab CE/EE does not enforce token scope, so a user holding a read_api-scoped token can fetch a project's incoming email address and create work items. The flaw is limited to authenticated users under certain conditions.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check the GitLab version with `gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info` or the Version line on the Admin Area page
- Confirm whether the instance is in the affected range: 18.2 before `19.3.6`, 19.4 before `19.4.3`, or 19.5 before `19.5.1`

## Fix

- Upgrade self-managed GitLab CE/EE to `19.3.6`, `19.4.3`, `19.5.1` or later within the matching release line
- Rotate any read_api tokens if the instance was exposed to untrusted users before patching

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:30+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12664
- 2026-10-24T07:15:52+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-12664

## From the sources

GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions from 18.2 before 19.3.6, 19.4 before 19.4.3, and 19.5 before 19.5.1 that, under certain conditions, could have allowed an authenticated user with a read_api-scoped token to retrieve a project's incoming email address and create work items, bypassing the token's restrictions, due to insufficient scope enforcement on a GraphQL field.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_