CVE-2019-6783 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition before 11.5.8, 11.6.x before 11.6.6, and 11.7.x before 11.7.1. GitLab Pages contains a directory traversal vulnerability that could lead to remote command execution.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6783 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within GitLab's Pages functionality that affects multiple versions of the GitLab platform. This issue exists in both Community and Enterprise editions, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on GitLab's web publishing capabilities. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper path handling within the GitLab Pages component, which allows malicious actors to manipulate file paths and access restricted directories. The flaw specifically impacts GitLab versions prior to 11.5.8, 11.6.6, and 11.7.1, indicating a widespread exposure across several release branches. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The security implications extend beyond simple file access, as this vulnerability can potentially enable remote command execution through careful manipulation of the traversal paths.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when GitLab Pages processes user-supplied paths without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious URLs or file references that leverage the directory traversal functionality to navigate outside of the intended document root directory. This allows unauthorized access to files and directories that should remain protected, potentially exposing sensitive system information, configuration files, or even enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system. The attack vector typically involves manipulating path parameters within GitLab Pages requests, exploiting the lack of proper input validation to bypass access controls. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that GitLab Pages is designed to serve static content, making it a common target for attackers seeking to compromise web applications. The exploitation process often follows ATT&CK framework technique T1059, which involves executing commands through the command and scripting interpreter, potentially allowing attackers to leverage the traversal vulnerability as a foothold for further system compromise.
Organizations utilizing GitLab must understand the operational impact of this vulnerability, which extends far beyond simple data exposure. The potential for remote command execution creates a pathway for attackers to gain full control over the GitLab server, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This risk is particularly concerning for enterprises that use GitLab Pages for hosting sensitive documentation or internal applications. The vulnerability's presence in multiple release versions means that organizations must urgently assess their GitLab installations and implement immediate patches to prevent exploitation. Security teams should also consider the broader implications for their incident response procedures, as this vulnerability could serve as an initial access vector for more sophisticated attacks. The impact on continuous integration and deployment pipelines is significant, as GitLab Pages is often used for automated documentation generation and static site hosting, making the compromise of these services particularly damaging to development workflows and organizational security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-6783 require immediate action to upgrade affected GitLab installations to patched versions, specifically targeting releases 11.5.8, 11.6.6, or 11.7.1 and later. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit access to GitLab Pages functionality where possible, reducing the attack surface. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns or path traversal attempts within GitLab logs. The implementation of proper input validation and sanitization measures within GitLab's Pages component should be enforced through configuration settings and security policies. Organizations may also consider deploying web application firewalls or intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the GitLab platform, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper path handling in web applications. Additionally, security awareness training for development teams should emphasize the importance of input validation and secure coding practices to prevent similar issues in custom GitLab integrations or extensions.