fix(auth): ignore stale OIDC external login links to organizations (#37875) (#38141)

Backport #37875

This fixes an OIDC sign-in edge case where a stale `external_login_user`
record can still point to an organization or a deleted user.

In that situation, Gitea may keep resolving the external login to the
wrong account during sign-in. For affected instances, this matches the
behavior reported in #36439 and #37812, where a user signing in with
OIDC/Entra ID could appear as an organization, or hit a 404 after that
organization was removed.

- validate the user resolved from `external_login_user` during
OAuth2/OIDC login
- ignore stale links when the linked user no longer exists
- ignore stale links when the linked user is not an individual user
- remove the stale external login row so the sign-in flow can relink the
external account to the correct user

- Fixes #37812
- Related to #36439

Co-authored-by: silverwind <me@silverwind.io>
Co-authored-by: Claude (Opus 4.8) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: bircni <bircni@icloud.com>

models/user/external_login_user.go

@@ -92,8 +92,11 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 // GetExternalLogin checks if a externalID in loginSourceID scope already exists
-func GetExternalLogin(ctx context.Context, externalLoginUser *ExternalLoginUser) (bool, error) {
+func GetExternalLogin(ctx context.Context, loginSourceID int64, externalID string) (*ExternalLoginUser, bool, error) {
-	return db.GetEngine(ctx).Get(externalLoginUser)
+	return db.Get[ExternalLoginUser](ctx, builder.Eq{
+		"external_id":     externalID,
+		"login_source_id": loginSourceID,
+	})
 }
 
 // LinkExternalToUser link the external user to the user
@@ -130,6 +133,12 @@ func RemoveAllAccountLinks(ctx context.Context, user *User) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// RemoveExternalLoginByExternalID removes a specific external login link by its provider-side identifier.
+func RemoveExternalLoginByExternalID(ctx context.Context, loginSourceID int64, externalID string) error {
+	_, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Where("external_id=? AND login_source_id=?", externalID, loginSourceID).Delete(new(ExternalLoginUser))
+	return err
+}
+
 // GetUserIDByExternalUserID get user id according to provider and userID
 func GetUserIDByExternalUserID(ctx context.Context, provider, userID string) (int64, error) {
 	var id int64

routers/web/auth/oauth.go

@@ -514,17 +514,33 @@ func oAuth2UserLoginCallback(ctx *context.Context, authSource *auth.Source, requ
 	}
 
 	// search in external linked users
-	externalLoginUser := &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{
+	externalLoginUser, hasUser, err := user_model.GetExternalLogin(ctx, authSource.ID, gothUser.UserID)
-		ExternalID:    gothUser.UserID,
-		LoginSourceID: authSource.ID,
-	}
-	hasUser, err = user_model.GetExternalLogin(request.Context(), externalLoginUser)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, goth.User{}, err
 	}
 	if hasUser {
-		user, err = user_model.GetUserByID(request.Context(), externalLoginUser.UserID)
+		user, err = user_model.GetUserByID(ctx, externalLoginUser.UserID)
-		return user, gothUser, err
+		if err != nil && !user_model.IsErrUserNotExist(err) {
+			return nil, goth.User{}, err
+		}
+		if err == nil && user.IsIndividual() {
+			return user, gothUser, nil
+		}
+
+		// The external login record is stale: the linked user no longer exists, or it exists but is
+		// not an individual user (only individual users can sign in, so a link pointing at an
+		// organization, bot or remote user can never resolve). Remove it so the next sign-in can
+		// relink the external account to the correct user. Nothing is lost, because the link is
+		// recreated automatically on the next sign-in.
+		reason := "linked user does not exist"
+		if err == nil {
+			reason = fmt.Sprintf("linked user type is %d", user.Type)
+		}
+		log.Warn("Ignoring stale external login link [external-id=%s login-source-id=%d user-id=%d]: %s", externalLoginUser.ExternalID, externalLoginUser.LoginSourceID, externalLoginUser.UserID, reason)
+
+		if err := user_model.RemoveExternalLoginByExternalID(ctx, externalLoginUser.LoginSourceID, externalLoginUser.ExternalID); err != nil {
+			return nil, goth.User{}, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	// no user found to login

services/auth/source/oauth2/source_sync_test.go

@@ -57,12 +57,7 @@ func TestSource(t *testing.T) {
 			err := source.refresh(t.Context(), provider, e)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-			e := &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{
+			e, ok, err := user_model.GetExternalLogin(t.Context(), e.LoginSourceID, e.ExternalID)
-				ExternalID:    e.ExternalID,
-				LoginSourceID: e.LoginSourceID,
-			}
-
-			ok, err := user_model.GetExternalLogin(t.Context(), e)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			assert.True(t, ok)
 			assert.Equal(t, "refresh", e.RefreshToken)
@@ -82,12 +77,7 @@ func TestSource(t *testing.T) {
 			})
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-			e := &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{
+			e, ok, err := user_model.GetExternalLogin(t.Context(), e.LoginSourceID, e.ExternalID)
-				ExternalID:    e.ExternalID,
-				LoginSourceID: e.LoginSourceID,
-			}
-
-			ok, err := user_model.GetExternalLogin(t.Context(), e)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			assert.True(t, ok)
 			assert.Empty(t, e.RefreshToken)

tests/integration/auth_oauth2_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"net/url"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	auth_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/auth"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unittest"
+	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/json"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/test"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/auth/source/oauth2"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/tests"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestOIDCIgnoresStaleExternalLoginLinks(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+	defer test.MockVariableValue(&setting.OAuth2Client.EnableAutoRegistration, true)()
+	defer test.MockVariableValue(&setting.OAuth2Client.AccountLinking, setting.OAuth2AccountLinkingAuto)()
+	defer test.MockVariableValue(&setting.OAuth2Client.Username, setting.OAuth2UsernameEmail)()
+
+	setup := func(t *testing.T, sourceName, sub, userName, email string) (*auth_model.Source, *user_model.User) {
+		t.Helper()
+		srv := newFakeOIDCServerWithProfile(t, sub, sub+"-oid", email, "OIDC Test User")
+		addOAuth2Source(t, sourceName, oauth2.Source{
+			Provider:                      "openidConnect",
+			ClientID:                      "test-client-id",
+			ClientSecret:                  "test-client-secret",
+			OpenIDConnectAutoDiscoveryURL: srv.URL + "/.well-known/openid-configuration",
+		})
+		authSource, err := auth_model.GetActiveOAuth2SourceByAuthName(t.Context(), sourceName)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		correctUser := &user_model.User{Name: userName, Email: email}
+		require.NoError(t, user_model.CreateUser(t.Context(), correctUser, &user_model.Meta{}))
+		return authSource, correctUser
+	}
+
+	// assertRelinked signs in via OIDC and asserts the stale link now points at the correct individual user.
+	assertRelinked := func(t *testing.T, authSource *auth_model.Source, sub string, correctUser *user_model.User) {
+		t.Helper()
+		doOIDCSignIn(t, authSource.Name)
+		// external_login_user has no "id" column, so order by the primary key instead
+		externalLink := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{ExternalID: sub, LoginSourceID: authSource.ID}, unittest.OrderBy("external_id ASC"))
+		assert.Equal(t, correctUser.ID, externalLink.UserID)
+		assert.Equal(t, correctUser.Email, externalLink.Email)
+		assert.Equal(t, "OIDC Test User", externalLink.Name)
+	}
+
+	t.Run("organization", func(t *testing.T) {
+		const sub, userName, email = "oidc-stale-org-link-sub", "guizar_m", "guizar_m@example.com"
+		authSource, correctUser := setup(t, "test-oidc-stale-org-link", sub, userName, email)
+		org := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 3, Type: user_model.UserTypeOrganization})
+		require.NoError(t, user_model.LinkExternalToUser(t.Context(), org, &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{
+			ExternalID:    sub,
+			UserID:        org.ID,
+			LoginSourceID: authSource.ID,
+			Provider:      authSource.Name,
+		}))
+		assertRelinked(t, authSource, sub, correctUser)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("deleted user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		const sub, userName, email = "oidc-stale-deleted-link-sub", "guizar_d", "guizar_d@example.com"
+		const deletedUserID = 999999
+		authSource, correctUser := setup(t, "test-oidc-stale-deleted", sub, userName, email)
+		// link the external account to a user id that does not exist, simulating a deleted user
+		require.NoError(t, user_model.LinkExternalToUser(t.Context(), &user_model.User{ID: deletedUserID}, &user_model.ExternalLoginUser{
+			ExternalID:    sub,
+			UserID:        deletedUserID,
+			LoginSourceID: authSource.ID,
+			Provider:      authSource.Name,
+		}))
+		assertRelinked(t, authSource, sub, correctUser)
+	})
+}
+
+func newFakeOIDCServerWithProfile(t *testing.T, sub, oid, email, name string) *httptest.Server {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var srv *httptest.Server
+	srv = httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		switch r.URL.Path {
+		case "/.well-known/openid-configuration": // discovery document
+			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]string{
+				"issuer":                 srv.URL,
+				"authorization_endpoint": srv.URL + "/authorize",
+				"token_endpoint":         srv.URL + "/token",
+				"userinfo_endpoint":      srv.URL + "/userinfo",
+			})
+		case "/token": // returns an ID token with both "sub" and "oid" claims so tests can verify which one ends up as ExternalID
+			claims := map[string]any{
+				"iss": srv.URL,
+				"aud": "test-client-id",
+				"exp": time.Now().Add(time.Hour).Unix(),
+				"sub": sub,
+				"oid": oid,
+			}
+			payload, _ := json.Marshal(claims)
+			header := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(`{"alg":"none"}`))
+
+			// build a JWT-shaped string whose payload encodes claims.
+			// goth's decodeJWT only base64-decodes the payload without verifying the signature, so no real signing infrastructure is needed.
+			idToken := header + "." + base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(payload) + ".fakesig"
+
+			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
+				"access_token": "fake-access-token",
+				"token_type":   "Bearer",
+				"id_token":     idToken,
+			})
+		case "/userinfo":
+			// sub MUST match the id_token sub; goth rejects mismatches.
+			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
+				"sub":   sub,
+				"email": email,
+				"name":  name,
+			})
+		default:
+			http.NotFound(w, r)
+		}
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+	return srv
+}
+
+// doOIDCSignIn runs a mock OIDC sign-in flow for the given auth source.
+func doOIDCSignIn(t *testing.T, sourceName string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	session := emptyTestSession(t)
+
+	// Step 1: initiate login
+	resp := session.MakeRequest(t, NewRequest(t, "GET", "/user/oauth2/"+sourceName), http.StatusTemporaryRedirect)
+
+	// Step 2: extract the UUID state that Gitea embedded in the redirect URL.
+	location := resp.Header().Get("Location")
+	u, err := url.Parse(location)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	state := u.Query().Get("state")
+	require.NotEmpty(t, state, "redirect to OIDC provider must include state")
+
+	// Step 3: simulate the provider redirecting back.
+	callbackURL := fmt.Sprintf("/user/oauth2/%s/callback?code=test-code&state=%s", sourceName, url.QueryEscape(state))
+	session.MakeRequest(t, NewRequest(t, "GET", callbackURL), http.StatusSeeOther)
+}