CVE-2019-5470 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure issue was discovered GitLab versions < 12.1.2, < 12.0.4, and < 11.11.6 in the security dashboard which could result in disclosure of vulnerability feedback information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5470 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within GitLab's security dashboard functionality. This issue affected multiple versions of the GitLab platform including versions prior to 12.1.2, 12.0.4, and 11.11.6, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on GitLab for their source code management and security operations. The vulnerability specifically targeted the security dashboard component, which serves as a central interface for monitoring and managing security-related activities within the GitLab environment.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate access controls and insufficient input validation within the security dashboard's vulnerability feedback processing mechanisms. When users interacted with the dashboard to review vulnerability assessments or security feedback reports, the system failed to properly restrict access to sensitive information based on user permissions and roles. This weakness allowed unauthorized users to potentially access vulnerability feedback data that should have been restricted to specific administrators or security personnel. The vulnerability operates under CWE-200, which categorizes improper information exposure as a fundamental security weakness that can lead to data breaches and unauthorized information access.
The operational impact of this information disclosure vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it could enable attackers to gain insights into the security posture of organizations using GitLab. The leaked vulnerability feedback information might include details about previously identified security gaps, assessment methodologies, or even internal security processes that could be exploited by malicious actors. This type of information disclosure aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local systems, and T1082, which involves system information discovery. The vulnerability essentially created a backdoor for threat actors to gather intelligence about the target organization's security infrastructure and potential weaknesses.
Organizations utilizing affected GitLab versions faced significant risk of exposure to sensitive security information, potentially including vulnerability assessment results, security scan outputs, and feedback from security reviews. The impact was particularly severe for enterprises that rely heavily on GitLab for their DevOps and security operations, as this vulnerability could compromise the confidentiality of their security monitoring activities. The vulnerability's presence in multiple release branches demonstrates the widespread nature of the issue and the need for comprehensive patch management across all GitLab installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5470 primarily involve immediate upgrade to patched versions of GitLab, specifically versions 12.1.2, 12.0.4, or 11.11.6, depending on the organization's current installation. Organizations should also implement additional access controls and monitoring around the security dashboard functionality to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough reviews of their GitLab configurations to ensure proper role-based access controls are implemented and regularly audit dashboard access logs for suspicious activities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust access control mechanisms in development and security tooling environments.