VNX-GH-020: Pull request head ref used as a branch or tag name without quoting

A shell variable holding the head branch name is passed to git or gh unquoted or without --.

Updated 02 Nov 2026Checked against cli@24498404a, vdb-sca-match@v0.8.14

Moving an untrusted value into env: fixes script injection, but git checkout $BRANCH still lets a branch named –upload-pack=… or -o… inject options. Branch names can start with a dash.


Severity	Medium
Confidence	medium
CWE	CWE-88
Command	`vulnetix gha workflows`, `vulnetix gha audit`

Remediation

Quote the variable and end option parsing: git checkout – “$BRANCH” (or git switch “refs/heads/$BRANCH”).

Run only this rule

vulnetix gha workflows --rule VNX-GH-020

Scoring

CWSS vector at the rule’s default severity: CWSS:1.0/TI:M/AP:A/AL:A/IC:N/FC:LT/RP:N/RL:A/AV:I/AS:N/IN:A/SC:A/BI:M/DI:M/EX:M/EC:N/P:W. A finding whose severity the repository’s settings moved is scored at its adjusted severity.

All rules: GitHub rules.

Edit this pageSources: vdb-sca-match/ghaudit/rules_workflows.go, cli/internal/ghtasks/docs.go