CVE-2022-0740 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2022
Incorrect authorization in the Asana integration's branch restriction feature in all versions of GitLab CE/EE starting from version 7.8.0 before 14.7.7, all versions starting from 14.8 before 14.8.5, all versions starting from 14.9 before 14.9.2 makes it possible to close Asana tasks from unrestricted branches.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0740 represents a critical authorization flaw within GitLab's integration with Asana that affects multiple versions of the platform. This issue specifically targets the branch restriction feature that governs how changes can be made to protected branches within GitLab repositories. The flaw allows unauthorized users to bypass the intended access controls and close Asana tasks through branches that should normally be restricted, creating a significant security gap in the collaborative development workflow that connects GitLab's version control system with Asana's project management capabilities.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation of user permissions within the integration layer between GitLab and Asana. When users attempt to close Asana tasks through GitLab's branch restriction mechanism, the system fails to properly verify whether the user has the necessary authorization to perform this action on the specific branch they are operating from. This authorization bypass occurs because the integration does not adequately check the user's access level or the branch protection rules that should normally prevent such actions from unrestricted branches. The flaw essentially allows any user with access to the repository to close Asana tasks regardless of their branch permissions, undermining the security model that protects critical project management elements from unauthorized modifications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized task closure, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate project timelines, disrupt workflow processes, and compromise the integrity of project management data within Asana. An attacker could exploit this flaw to close tasks prematurely, creating false progress indicators that mislead project stakeholders and potentially causing operational disruptions in development cycles. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where GitLab and Asana integrations are used for critical project management and where unauthorized modifications to task status could have significant business implications. The vulnerability affects all versions from 7.8.0 through 14.9.1, representing a substantial attack surface that spans multiple major releases and could have remained undetected for extended periods.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched versions of GitLab where this vulnerability has been resolved, specifically versions 14.7.7, 14.8.5, and 14.9.2. Additionally, administrators should review and strengthen their branch protection rules to ensure that unauthorized modifications to Asana integrations are prevented through proper access controls. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation. The incident highlights the importance of proper integration security testing and demonstrates how third-party service integrations can introduce unexpected authorization gaps that require careful monitoring and validation. Organizations should also consider implementing additional logging and monitoring around Asana integration activities to detect any unauthorized task modifications that may occur through this vulnerability.