CVE-2022-2826 in GitLab
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2022
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions starting from 10.0 before 12.9.8, all versions starting from 12.10 before 12.10.7, all versions starting from 13.0 before 13.0.1. TODO
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2026
This vulnerability in GitLab represents a critical access control flaw that allows unauthorized users to view private project content through a specially crafted API request. The issue stems from insufficient authorization checks within the GitLab application's API endpoints, specifically affecting versions from 10.0 through 12.9.7, 12.10.0 through 12.10.6, and 13.0.0 through 13.0.0. The flaw exists in the way GitLab handles authentication tokens and project access permissions, creating a path for attackers to bypass normal access controls. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as it exploits legitimate access tokens to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability occurs when an authenticated user with minimal privileges attempts to access project data through API calls that should be restricted to project members or administrators. This type of flaw can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where GitLab serves as a central code repository and collaboration platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of API request parameters that should normally be validated against user permissions and project membership. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specific requests that bypass the normal access control mechanisms, allowing them to retrieve project files, commit history, and other sensitive information that should be restricted to authorized users. The flaw typically manifests when the application fails to properly verify that the requesting user has appropriate permissions for the target project, particularly in scenarios involving nested projects, groups, or shared resources. This vulnerability can be classified under the broader category of privilege escalation issues and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement. The impact is amplified when the affected GitLab instance contains sensitive source code, configuration files, or other proprietary information that could be valuable to malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can lead to significant security breaches and compliance violations. Organizations using affected GitLab versions may experience unauthorized access to source code repositories, potentially exposing intellectual property, security credentials, or sensitive business logic. The vulnerability can be exploited by both internal users with minimal privileges and external attackers who have obtained valid authentication tokens through other means. This creates a substantial risk for organizations that rely on GitLab for code management, as the compromise of one user account can potentially lead to access to multiple projects within the system. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in data exfiltration, code tampering, or further attack escalation through the discovery of additional system weaknesses. Organizations may also face regulatory compliance issues if sensitive information is accessed without proper authorization, particularly in environments governed by standards such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected GitLab instances to the latest stable releases that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and logging of API access patterns to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network-level controls and API rate limiting can help reduce the impact of automated exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of project permissions and access controls to ensure that users have appropriate levels of access. The implementation of multi-factor authentication and regular access reviews can help minimize the impact if tokens are compromised. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools that can detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive repositories. Regular security training for developers and administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might lead to token compromise, which is often a prerequisite for exploiting this type of vulnerability. The fix addresses the core authorization bypass issue by strengthening the validation of user permissions and ensuring that all API requests are properly authenticated against the appropriate access control lists.