CVE-2024-12292 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
An issue was discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting from 11.0 prior to 17.4.6, starting from 17.5 prior to 17.5.4, and starting from 17.6 prior to 17.6.2, where sensitive information passed in GraphQL mutations may have been retained in GraphQL logs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
This vulnerability exists within GitLab's GraphQL implementation where sensitive data submitted through GraphQL mutations gets logged in plain text format without proper sanitization or obfuscation. The flaw affects multiple version ranges including 11.0 through 17.4.5, 17.5 through 17.5.3, and 17.6 through 17.6.1, representing a significant portion of GitLab's release history. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and logging mechanisms that fail to distinguish between regular operational data and sensitive information such as passwords, API keys, tokens, or other confidential credentials passed through GraphQL endpoints. This represents a classic security misconfiguration where the system's logging infrastructure inadvertently becomes a data exposure vector.
The technical implementation flaw manifests when GraphQL mutations containing sensitive parameters are processed by GitLab's backend services. These parameters are automatically captured and stored in log files without any form of redaction or encryption, creating persistent exposure of confidential data. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-532, which addresses information exposure through log files, and CWE-200, concerning information exposure. The operational impact extends beyond simple data leakage as these logs may be accessible to unauthorized users with file system permissions, potentially including attackers who have gained access to the GitLab server or its logging infrastructure. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to obtain authentication tokens, database credentials, or other sensitive information that could be used for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the affected environment.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given GitLab's widespread adoption across enterprise environments where it serves as a central platform for code management, CI/CD pipelines, and collaboration. The exposure of sensitive information through GraphQL logs creates opportunities for credential theft, unauthorized access to projects, and potential compromise of entire development infrastructures. This vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1567.002, which covers "Exfiltration Over Web Service" and T1078.004, covering "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts," as compromised credentials could be used to access cloud resources. Organizations running affected GitLab versions face significant risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and potential regulatory penalties, especially in environments governed by standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2 compliance requirements where logging and data protection are critical controls.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate upgrade to patched versions 17.4.6, 17.5.4, and 17.6.2 respectively, which implement proper sanitization of GraphQL mutation parameters before logging. Organizations should also implement log monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exposure of sensitive data in log files, conduct comprehensive log reviews to identify any previously exposed credentials, and implement proper access controls for log files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated log sanitization processes and regular security assessments of their logging infrastructure to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their GitLab deployments.