# CVE-2026-40938: Tekton Pipelines argument injection in Git resolver revision parameter

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40938-tekton-pipelines-argument-injection-in-git-resolver-revision  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-21. Updated: 2026-05-21  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-40938 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-04-21

Tekton Pipeline is a framework for creating continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) systems. A vulnerability in its Git resolver allows an attacker to execute malicious code on the system by providing a specially crafted revision parameter. This could lead to the theft of sensitive cluster-wide secrets, potentially allowing an attacker to take control of the entire cloud environment.

Technologies: [github.com/tektoncd/pipeline (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-tektoncd-pipeline), [Linuxfoundation Tekton Pipelines](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/tekton-pipelines), [Tekton Pipelines](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/pipelines). Vendors: [Go](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/go), [Linuxfoundation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/linuxfoundation), [Tekton](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/tekton).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-40938 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-40938 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-40938?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 21 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** github.com/tektoncd/pipeline (Go) >= 1.0.0, <= 1.11.0, SEMVER:introduced=1.0.0,fixed=1.0.2,introduced=1.1.0,fixed=1.3.4,introduced=1.4.0,fixed=1.6.2,introduced=1.7.0,fixed=1.9.3,introduced=1.10.0,fixed=1.11.1, SEMVER:introduced=1.10.0,fixed=1.11.1; Tekton Pipelines 1.0.0 to 1.11.0; TektonCD Pipeline >= 1.10.0, < 1.11.1; >= 1.7.0, < 1.9.3; >= 1.4.0, < 1.6.2; >= 1.2.0, < 1.3.4; >= 1.0.0, < 1.0.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-40938?** Yes. github.com/tektoncd/pipeline (Go): upgrade to 1.11.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-40938 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-40938?** Check whether you run github.com/tektoncd/pipeline (Go), Linuxfoundation Tekton Pipelines, Tekton Pipelines or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- github.com/tektoncd/pipeline (Go): upgrade to 1.11.1 or later

  ```sh
  go get github.com/tektoncd/pipeline@v1.11.1
  ```


## Technical details

The Tekton Git resolver fails to sanitize the 'revision' parameter before passing it as a positional argument to 'git fetch'. An attacker can inject git flags such as '--upload-pack' by starting the revision string with a hyphen. When combined with the resolver's support for local filesystem paths (URLs starting with '/'), this allows the execution of arbitrary binaries present on the resolver pod. Because the resolver's ServiceAccount typically has cluster-wide permissions to read Secrets, successful exploitation allows for full secret exfiltration and subsequent privilege escalation. Patches are available in versions 1.11.1, 1.9.3, 1.6.2, 1.3.4, and 1.0.2.

## Affected products

- TektonCD Tekton Pipeline >= 1.10.0, < 1.11.1; >= 1.7.0, < 1.9.3; >= 1.4.0, < 1.6.2; >= 1.2.0, < 1.3.4; >= 1.0.0, < 1.0.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-40938
- GHSA-94jr-7pqp-xhcq
- GO-2026-5272

## Timeline

- 2026-04-21: disclosed
- 2026-04-21: advisory

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/offset](https://api.github.com/users/offset)
- [https://github.com/offset](https://github.com/offset)
- [https://api.github.com/users/offset/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/offset/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/offset/repos](https://api.github.com/users/offset/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/114768995?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/114768995?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/offset/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/offset/events%7B/privacy%7D)

## Related threats

- [Tekton Pipelines DoS via unbounded memory allocation in HTTP resolver](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40924-tekton-pipelines-dos-via-unbounded-memory-allocation-in-http)
- [Tekton Pipelines path traversal in VolumeMount validation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40923-tekton-pipelines-path-traversal-in-volumemount-validation)
- [Tekton Pipelines credential exfiltration in Git resolver API mode](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40161-tekton-pipelines-credential-exfiltration-in-git-resolver-api-mode)
- [Tekton Pipelines regex bypass in trusted resources verification](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-25542-tekton-pipelines-regex-bypass-in-trusted-resources-verification)
- [Tekton Pipelines path traversal in git resolver](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-33211-tekton-pipelines-path-traversal-in-git-resolver)