CVE-2019-19263 in Enterprise Edition
Summary
by MITRE
GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) 8.2 and later through 12.5 has Insecure Permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2020
GitLab Enterprise Edition versions 8.2 through 12.5 contain a critical insecure permissions vulnerability that allows unauthorized users to access protected resources and functionality within the platform. This vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms that fail to adequately validate user privileges and roles when accessing sensitive GitLab features. The flaw exists across multiple versions of the enterprise edition, creating a widespread security risk for organizations relying on these releases.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves inadequate permission checking within the GitLab application's authorization framework. When users attempt to access specific resources or perform administrative actions, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges to execute such operations. This weakness enables attackers with limited access rights to potentially escalate their privileges or gain access to restricted areas of the GitLab instance. The vulnerability manifests when the application's access control lists do not properly enforce the principle of least privilege, allowing unauthorized individuals to bypass normal security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access scenarios and can lead to significant data breaches and system compromise. Attackers could potentially access private repositories, view confidential project information, modify code, or even gain administrative control over the GitLab instance. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that store sensitive intellectual property, source code, or proprietary information within their GitLab environments. This vulnerability directly violates the security principle of access control and can enable attackers to perform actions such as creating new users, modifying existing user permissions, or accessing restricted administrative interfaces.
Organizations using affected GitLab versions should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched releases, reviewing existing user permissions, and implementing additional monitoring controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software applications. From an attack perspective, this weakness maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers can leverage the insecure permissions to gain elevated system access. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of user roles and permissions, implement network segmentation to limit access to GitLab instances, and establish continuous monitoring for suspicious access patterns. The recommended remediation involves applying the official GitLab patches that address the specific permission validation flaws and ensuring proper configuration of access controls to prevent unauthorized escalation of privileges.