CVE-2014-3456 in GitLab
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) 6.6.0 before 6.6.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2019
The CVE-2014-3456 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in GitLab Enterprise Edition version 6.6.0, which remained unpatched until the release of version 6.6.2. This vulnerability falls under the category of client-side attacks that exploit web applications to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw specifically affects the enterprise edition of GitLab, indicating that organizations utilizing this version of the platform were exposed to significant security risks during the affected period. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft, as it allows attackers to manipulate user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially gain unauthorized access to repositories and other system resources.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within GitLab's web application interface. Attackers could leverage this flaw by injecting malicious scripts or HTML code through unspecified vectors within the application's user interaction points. These vectors likely included user profile fields, issue tracking systems, or any other areas where user-generated content was processed and displayed without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS threat means that malicious code could be stored on the server and executed whenever other users viewed the affected content, creating a potential for widespread compromise across user bases. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in collaborative development environments where multiple users interact with shared repositories and project management features.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3456 was substantial for organizations relying on GitLab EE 6.6.0, as it created opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts and HTML code within users' browsers. This could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized modifications to project data. The vulnerability's presence in the enterprise edition meant that organizations with sensitive code repositories, confidential projects, and collaborative development workflows were particularly at risk. Attackers could exploit this weakness to inject malicious payloads that would execute in the context of legitimate users, potentially allowing them to access private repositories, modify code, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The attack surface was broad given GitLab's role as a central collaboration platform for development teams, making this vulnerability a significant concern for security-conscious organizations.
Organizations affected by CVE-2014-3456 should have immediately upgraded to GitLab EE version 6.6.2 or later to remediate the vulnerability. The patch implemented by GitLab addressed the root cause by enhancing input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's user interface components. Security teams should have conducted comprehensive assessments of their GitLab installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitored for suspicious activities in user access logs. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common attack pattern categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should have implemented additional security measures including web application firewalls, regular security scanning, and user education on recognizing potential XSS attack vectors to strengthen their overall security posture against similar threats.