CVE-2019-9170 in Community
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition before 11.6.10, 11.7.x before 11.7.6, and 11.8.x before 11.8.1. It has Incorrect Access Control.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9170 represents a critical access control flaw affecting GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition installations across multiple version streams. This issue stems from inadequate authorization mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access restricted resources within the GitLab platform. The vulnerability impacts versions prior to 11.6.10, 11.7.6, and 11.8.1 respectively, indicating a widespread concern affecting the core authentication and authorization framework of the software. The flaw manifests as an improper access control condition that could enable malicious actors to bypass intended security boundaries and gain unauthorized access to project data, repository contents, and administrative functions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation of user permissions and access rights within GitLab's authorization system. When users attempt to access specific resources or perform certain actions within the platform, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to exploit the system by crafting requests that bypass normal access controls, potentially allowing them to view private projects, access sensitive code repositories, or perform administrative operations without proper authentication. The flaw specifically affects how GitLab handles permission checks for various resources, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-9170 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of GitLab installations. Organizations utilizing affected versions face significant risks including potential code leakage, unauthorized modification of source code, compromise of sensitive development artifacts, and possible lateral movement within their development environments. The vulnerability could enable attackers to access confidential information such as source code, configuration files, and development secrets that might be stored within private repositories. This access could facilitate further attacks, including the potential for supply chain compromises, intellectual property theft, or the exploitation of additional vulnerabilities within the development infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions 11.6.10, 11.7.6, or 11.8.1 to remediate this vulnerability. The patch addresses the underlying access control implementation by strengthening permission validation checks and ensuring proper authorization enforcement for all user requests. Additional mitigations include implementing network-level access controls, monitoring user activities for suspicious access patterns, and conducting thorough security assessments of affected systems. Security teams should also review existing access controls and permissions within their GitLab installations to identify any potential exploitation that may have occurred during the vulnerable period. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control conditions, and could be leveraged by threat actors following ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of robust access control mechanisms in development platforms where unauthorized access can lead to significant operational and security consequences.