CVE-2026-12171
HIGHDescription
auto-changelog before 2.6.1 merges configuration from inside the target repository (the .auto-changelog file and the auto-changelog key in package.json) into its options, and honors security-sensitive options from that untrusted source. The handlebarsSetup option is passed to require(), so running auto-changelog over attacker-controlled repository content (for example, in a CI workflow that checks out an untrusted pull request head, or locally on a forked or third-party repository) executes attacker-chosen code with the privileges of the invoking user or CI job, including access to workflow secrets, without the repository dependencies ever being installed. The plugins option similarly loads attacker-controlled modules from the repository. Under the same conditions, appendGitLog/appendGitTag allow git argument injection (e.g. --output= to write arbitrary files), output allows writing attacker-influenced content to arbitrary paths, and template causes an outbound request to an attacker-chosen URL. Version 2.6.1 treats in-repository configuration as untrusted and refuses to run when it sets these options, unless the new --unsafe-config flag is passed.
How to fix
No published remediation has been found for this vulnerability's affected products yet.
Mitigation guidance may be in the linked vendor advisories in the References section below.
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CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 12% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-23897 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2023-32315 | High | 8.6 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2022-29464 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | - |
| CVE-2021-26086 | Medium | 5.3 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2021-22005 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2020-5902 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-12171?
No published fix for CVE-2026-12171 has been found yet. Check the linked vendor advisories for guidance as it becomes available.
Is CVE-2026-12171 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-12171 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.22% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 12% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-12171?
CVE-2026-12171 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.8, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-10-06.