CVE-2018-19584 in Enterprise Edition
Summary
by MITRE
GitLab EE, versions 11.x before 11.3.11, 11.4 before 11.4.8, and 11.5 before 11.5.1, is vulnerable to an insecure direct object reference vulnerability that allows authenticated, but unauthorized, users to view members and milestone details of private groups.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19584 represents a critical insecure direct object reference issue within GitLab Enterprise Edition that affects multiple version streams. This flaw exists in versions prior to 11.3.11, 11.4.8, and 11.5.1, creating a significant security gap that undermines the access control mechanisms designed to protect private group information. The vulnerability specifically targets the authorization controls that should prevent unauthorized access to sensitive group data, including member lists and milestone details, which are typically restricted to authorized group members only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control checks within GitLab's group management functionality. When authenticated users attempt to access private group resources through direct API calls or web interface navigation, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to view the specific group's member information or milestone data. This weakness allows malicious actors who have gained authentication access to private groups to exploit the system's insufficient object reference validation and retrieve confidential information that should remain restricted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables unauthorized access to critical project management information that could be leveraged for social engineering attacks or competitive intelligence gathering. Private group member details provide insights into team structures, roles, and responsibilities that could be exploited by malicious actors to craft targeted attacks or identify key personnel within organizations. Milestone details reveal project timelines, deliverables, and development schedules that could be used to anticipate business activities or identify potential attack vectors during critical development phases.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-639, which specifically addresses insecure direct object references, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern access to sensitive information within any collaborative platform. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under privilege escalation and credential access tactics, as it allows unauthorized access to information that would normally require proper authorization. Organizations using affected GitLab versions face potential compliance violations and increased risk exposure, particularly in regulated environments where access controls must be strictly enforced.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2018-19584 requires immediate patching of all affected GitLab Enterprise Edition installations to the recommended secure versions. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to group resources and conduct thorough access control audits to identify any potential exploitation that may have occurred prior to patching. Organizations should review their existing security policies and ensure that proper access control mechanisms are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their development infrastructure. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar authorization flaws that could compromise sensitive project information.