CVE-2018-17449 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 04/16/2023
An issue was discovered in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition before 11.1.7, 11.2.x before 11.2.4, and 11.3.x before 11.3.1. Remote attackers could obtain sensitive information about issues, comments, and project titles via events API insecure direct object reference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2023
This vulnerability in GitLab represents a critical insecure direct object reference flaw that allowed remote attackers to access sensitive project information through the events API endpoint. The issue affected versions prior to 11.1.7, 11.2.4, and 11.3.1 across both Community and Enterprise editions, creating a significant security gap in the platform's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically enabled unauthorized users to retrieve sensitive data including issue details, comments, and project titles by directly accessing API endpoints without proper authentication or authorization checks.
The technical implementation of this flaw stemmed from inadequate input validation and access control enforcement within GitLab's events API handler. When attackers made requests to specific API endpoints, the system failed to properly verify whether the requesting user had legitimate access rights to the targeted resources. This oversight allowed malicious actors to construct API requests using arbitrary object identifiers, effectively bypassing the normal authorization flow that should have restricted access to project data based on user permissions and membership status. The vulnerability classified under CWE-639 as an authorization bypass, specifically manifesting as an insecure direct object reference where the application directly maps user-supplied input to object references without proper access validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial as it provided attackers with comprehensive visibility into project metadata and collaborative information that should have remained confidential. Remote threat actors could systematically enumerate project issues, access private comments, and gather intelligence about project structures and development activities. This information disclosure could enable more sophisticated attacks including social engineering campaigns, targeted exploitation of project-specific vulnerabilities, or simply gathering competitive intelligence about development processes and timelines. The attack vector was particularly concerning as it required no prior authentication, making it accessible to anyone who could reach the GitLab instance.
Organizations running affected GitLab versions faced significant risk of data exposure and potential compliance violations, especially in regulated environments where access to development project information is strictly controlled. The vulnerability could have been exploited through automated scanning tools that systematically tested API endpoints, potentially leading to widespread information disclosure across multiple projects within a single GitLab installation. Security teams needed to implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest stable versions, implementing additional API rate limiting, and reviewing access controls for the events API endpoint. The remediation process should have included comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized access attempts and verification that all project-level access controls were properly enforced. This vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly in collaborative platforms where multiple users interact with shared resources.