# CVE-2026-97859: Gitea API visibility check bypass in user endpoints

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97859-seven-gitea-api-routes-under-api-v1-users-username-followers  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-18. Updated: 2026-10-18  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-97859 · Severity: info · Published 2026-10-18

Gitea, a self-hosted code collaboration platform, failed to enforce user visibility permissions on seven API endpoints that expose user profiles and account details. An authenticated attacker could access followers, following lists, starred repositories, SSH keys, and GPG keys of users marked as limited or private, bypassing the intended access controls and leaking sensitive account information.

Technologies: [Gitea](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gitea). Vendors: [Gitea](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gitea).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-97859 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-97859 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-97859?** Informational severity, published 18 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gitea before 1.27.3 and before 28.0.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-97859?** Yes: fixed in Gitea 1.27.3, 28.0.0. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-97859 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-97859?** Check whether you run Gitea 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

- Fixed in Gitea 1.27.3, 28.0.0

## Technical details

Seven API routes under /api/v1/users/{username} (followers, following, following/{target}, starred, subscriptions, keys, and gpg_keys) were missing the individualPermsChecker middleware that enforces user visibility. An authenticated user could enumerate and read profile metadata of users with limited or private visibility settings by making direct API calls, gaining information disclosure without proper authorization checks.

## Affected products

- Gitea Gitea before 1.27.3 and before 28.0.0

## Timeline

- 2026-10-18: disclosed
- 2026-08-22: patched: Merged in PR #39004

## References

- [https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.2.0/](https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.2.0/)
- [https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39004](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39004)

## Related threats

- [Gitea account takeover via OAuth2 auto-linking](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-120263-when-oauth2-client-account-linking-is-set-to-auto-not-the)
- [Gitea limited-visibility profile disclosure via public-only token](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119627-the-web-profile-and-rss-atom-feed-routes-of-users-and)
- [Gitea token scope bypass in web routes](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119625-the-username-web-route-accepted-personal-access-tokens-over-http)
- [Gitea project boards information disclosure of private pull requests](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119533-repository-and-organization-project-boards-listed-the-pull)
- [Gitea API token scope bypass in repository deletion](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119441-delete-api-v1-orgs-org-repos-deletes-all-repositories-of-an)