CVE-2020-9329 in Gogs
Summary
by MITRE
Gogs through 0.11.91 allows attackers to violate the admin-specified repo-creation policy due to an internal/db/repo.go race condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9329 affects Gogs versions through 0.11.91 and represents a critical race condition within the repository creation process that undermines administrative security policies. This issue stems from a flaw in the internal database management component located at internal/db/repo.go, where concurrent operations during repository creation can bypass established access controls and policy enforcement mechanisms. The race condition occurs when multiple simultaneous requests attempt to create repositories while the system is validating user permissions and repository policies, creating a temporal window where administrative restrictions can be circumvented.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper synchronization of database operations during repository creation workflows. When administrators configure specific policies governing who can create repositories and under what conditions, the race condition in repo.go allows unauthorized users to exploit timing gaps in the validation process. This occurs because the system does not properly lock or serialize access to repository creation resources during the policy validation phase, enabling attackers to submit concurrent requests that may succeed despite policy violations. The flaw specifically impacts the integrity of access control mechanisms by allowing attackers to create repositories outside of established administrative constraints, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple policy bypass, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within the system infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this race condition can create repositories with elevated privileges or access rights that should have been restricted by administrative policies. This capability allows for potential data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and the establishment of malicious infrastructure within the Gogs environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where repository creation policies are designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive projects or to enforce proper access controls and audit trails. The race condition essentially creates a security boundary failure where the system's intended access controls become ineffective due to implementation flaws in the concurrent processing logic.
Organizations using affected Gogs versions should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions where available, implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized repository creation activities, and reviewing existing repository policies to identify potential exploitation vectors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes race conditions in concurrent programming, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachments, as attackers may leverage this weakness to establish persistent access. Security teams should also consider implementing additional database-level access controls and monitoring for unusual repository creation patterns, while ensuring that all administrative policy enforcement mechanisms are properly synchronized to prevent similar concurrency issues in other system components.