CVE-2025-50178 is a vulnerability identified in the JuliaWeb project, specifically within the GitForge.jl package, versions prior to 0.4.3. GitForge.jl provides a unified interface for interacting with various Git forges, including GitHub. The vulnerability arises from improper input validation (CWE-20) and path traversal issues (CWE-22) in the `GitForge.get_repo` function when handling user-supplied 'owner' and 'repo' string parameters. These inputs are not sanitized or safely encoded before being sent to the GitHub API server. Consequently, an attacker can inject path traversal sequences such as '../' to manipulate the API request path, potentially accessing unintended endpoints on api.github.com. This can lead to unauthorized access to data or functionality not originally intended by the API design. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, and the attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.6 (medium severity), reflecting the high impact on confidentiality due to unauthorized data exposure, but no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability was published on June 25, 2025, and fixed in version 0.4.3 of GitForge.jl. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no workarounds exist aside from upgrading to the patched version. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of validating and encoding user inputs in API client libraries to prevent path traversal and unauthorized API access.

For European organizations using JuliaWeb's GitForge.jl package (versions prior to 0.4.3) to interact with GitHub repositories, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive repository metadata or other API endpoints not intended for the user. This unauthorized access could expose confidential project information, intellectual property, or internal development workflows. Since GitHub is widely used in software development, organizations relying on automated tools or CI/CD pipelines that incorporate GitForge.jl may inadvertently expose sensitive data. Although the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of data, the confidentiality breach alone can have significant consequences, including intellectual property theft, competitive disadvantage, or regulatory compliance violations (e.g., GDPR if personal data is exposed). The lack of authentication requirements and user interaction means attackers can remotely exploit this vulnerability without insider access, increasing the risk profile. The impact is particularly relevant for sectors with high reliance on software development and intellectual property protection, such as technology firms, financial services, and research institutions across Europe.

1. Immediate upgrade to GitForge.jl version 0.4.3 or later, which contains the patch addressing input validation and encoding issues. 2. Audit all internal and third-party tools or scripts that use GitForge.jl to ensure they are not running vulnerable versions. 3. Implement network-level monitoring and anomaly detection for unusual API request patterns targeting api.github.com, focusing on requests containing path traversal sequences. 4. Employ strict input validation and sanitization in any custom wrappers or extensions around GitForge.jl to prevent injection of malicious path components. 5. Restrict API tokens and credentials used by GitForge.jl clients to the minimum necessary scopes to limit potential data exposure. 6. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or API gateways that can detect and block path traversal attempts in outgoing API requests. 7. Educate development and DevOps teams about the risks of using outdated dependencies and the importance of timely patching. 8. For organizations with sensitive data, conduct a security review of all GitHub API interactions to identify and remediate any other potential input validation weaknesses.