CVE-2018-19569 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE
GitLab CE/EE, versions 8.8 up to 11.x before 11.3.11, 11.4 before 11.4.8, and 11.5 before 11.5.1, are vulnerable to an authorization vulnerability that allows access to the web-UI as a user using a Personal Access Token of any scope.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2024
This vulnerability exists in GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition across multiple version ranges, specifically affecting installations from version 8.8 through 11.x up to 11.3.10, 11.4.x up to 11.4.7, and 11.5.x up to 11.5.0. The flaw represents a critical authorization bypass that undermines the security model of the platform. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of authentication tokens within the web interface, allowing malicious actors to exploit personal access tokens to gain unauthorized access to user interfaces regardless of the token's scope limitations. This authorization weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in how GitLab handles token-based authentication for web UI access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the web application failing to properly verify that a personal access token's scope matches the requested web interface functionality. When a user authenticates through a personal access token, the system should validate that the token possesses the appropriate permissions for the specific UI actions being requested. However, the flaw allows tokens with any scope to bypass these checks and access the web interface, effectively creating a backdoor for unauthorized access. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as it enables unauthorized access through legitimate authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because personal access tokens are commonly used for automation and integration purposes, making them valuable targets for attackers seeking persistent access to systems.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform actions that would normally be restricted to authorized users. An attacker could potentially access sensitive project information, modify repository settings, create or delete files, and perform administrative functions depending on the token's scope. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected GitLab versions, regardless of their role or access level, making it a widespread concern for organizations that rely on GitLab for version control and collaboration. Organizations may experience data breaches, unauthorized code modifications, and potential exposure of sensitive source code repositories. The exploitation of this vulnerability can occur without requiring additional credentials beyond a valid personal access token, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers who have obtained such tokens through other means.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions of GitLab, specifically version 11.3.11, 11.4.8, or 11.5.1, respectively, to remediate this vulnerability. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of personal access tokens in use, revoke any compromised tokens, and implement additional monitoring for unusual access patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper authentication and authorization checks in web applications, particularly when dealing with token-based authentication systems. Organizations should review their access control policies and ensure that all authentication mechanisms properly enforce scope limitations. Security teams should also consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and continuous monitoring of access logs for suspicious activities. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust access control measures in collaborative development environments.