CVE-2022-0154 in GitLab
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2022
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions starting from 7.7 before 14.4.5, all versions starting from 14.5.0 before 14.5.3, all versions starting from 14.6.0 before 14.6.2. GitLab was vulnerable to a Cross-Site Request Forgery attack that allows a malicious user to have their GitHub project imported on another GitLab user account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2022
This vulnerability in GitLab represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that emerged in versions ranging from 7.7 through 14.6.1, with specific affected ranges including versions prior to 14.4.5, 14.5.3, and 14.6.2 respectively. The issue stems from inadequate validation of cross-origin requests when processing GitHub project imports, creating a scenario where authenticated users could be tricked into performing unintended actions without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious actor crafts a specially designed request that, when executed by an authenticated GitLab user, results in the unauthorized import of a GitHub project into the victim's account. This particular weakness aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a significant threat to user account integrity and data control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the GitHub import functionality within GitLab's web interface. When a user visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link that contains a hidden request to import a GitHub project, the browser automatically includes the user's authentication cookies for the GitLab domain. This automatic credential inclusion, combined with the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation, allows the malicious request to be processed as if it originated from the legitimate user. The vulnerability specifically affects the project import workflow where GitLab accepts external repository URLs and attempts to import them into the user's workspace, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be leveraged for unauthorized project access and potential data exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data leakage, privilege escalation, and account takeover scenarios. A malicious user could import projects containing sensitive information, potentially gaining access to private repositories or code that should remain confidential. The vulnerability also enables attackers to manipulate a victim's project portfolio, potentially causing confusion or disruption to legitimate workflow. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector that requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently visit untrusted websites or click on suspicious links. The vulnerability also creates potential for supply chain attacks where attackers import malicious projects that could later be used to compromise the victim's development environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within GitLab's import functionality. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of GitLab, specifically versions 14.4.5, 14.5.3, and 14.6.2 respectively, which contain the necessary security fixes. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as requiring explicit user confirmation for external project imports, implementing stricter validation of import sources, and monitoring for unusual import activity. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1531, which deals with Account Access Removal, and T1078, which covers Valid Accounts, as the exploitation can lead to unauthorized account access and potential privilege escalation. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect suspicious cross-origin requests and consider implementing web application firewalls to block potentially malicious import requests. Regular security audits of third-party integration points should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the GitLab ecosystem.