CVE-2022-1124 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2022
An improper authorization issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions prior to 14.8.6, all versions from 14.9.0 prior to 14.9.4, and 14.10.0, allowing Guest project members to access trace log of jobs when it is enabled
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1124 represents a critical authorization flaw within GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition platforms that affects multiple version ranges. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that permit unauthorized users to gain visibility into sensitive operational data. The flaw specifically impacts GitLab installations where job trace logs are enabled, creating a scenario where users with minimal privileges can access information that should remain restricted to authorized personnel. The vulnerability exists across multiple release branches, indicating a systemic issue within the authorization framework rather than a localized bug.
The technical implementation of this flaw resides in the authorization checks that govern access to job trace logs within GitLab's project management system. When job trace logging is enabled for projects, the system should enforce strict access controls based on user roles and permissions. However, the vulnerability allows guest project members to bypass these authorization checks and retrieve trace log information from CI/CD jobs. This improper authorization issue manifests as a failure in the permission validation logic that should prevent guest users from accessing job execution details, potentially exposing sensitive information about build processes, environment variables, and execution sequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as job trace logs often contain sensitive data including environment variables, configuration details, and execution paths that could be exploited by malicious actors. Guest users who can access these logs may discover system configurations, potential security misconfigurations, or even credentials that are inadvertently logged during job execution. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that utilize GitLab for continuous integration and deployment processes, where job trace logs typically contain detailed information about build environments and deployment procedures. This unauthorized access could enable attackers to map out system architectures, identify potential attack vectors, and gain intelligence for more sophisticated exploitation attempts.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically focusing on credential access through unauthorized system access. Organizations utilizing GitLab in production environments face significant risk from this vulnerability, particularly those with less restrictive access control policies or those that do not adequately monitor user access to CI/CD job details. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple version ranges suggests that organizations must carefully evaluate their GitLab deployment configurations and implement immediate mitigations while planning for proper version upgrades.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to GitLab versions 14.8.6, 14.9.4, or 14.10.1, which contain the necessary patches to address the authorization flaw. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of user access patterns to detect potential unauthorized attempts to access job trace logs. Security teams should review and enforce strict access control policies for CI/CD environments, ensuring that job trace log access is restricted to appropriate personnel only. Temporary workarounds may include disabling trace logging for projects where guest access is permitted, though this approach should be considered a short-term solution while proper upgrades are implemented.