CVE-2025-12697 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 03/11/2026
GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions from 15.5 before 18.7.6, 18.8 before 18.8.6, and 18.9 before 18.9.2 that could have allowed an authenticated user with maintainer-role permissions to reveal Datadog API credentials under certain conditions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2026
This vulnerability exists within GitLab's codebase and affects versions from 15.5 through 18.7.5, 18.8 through 18.8.5, and 18.9 through 18.9.1 of both Community Edition and Enterprise Edition. The flaw represents a critical information disclosure issue that could potentially expose sensitive Datadog API credentials to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess maintainer-level permissions within GitLab projects, making it particularly concerning for organizations that integrate GitLab with Datadog monitoring services. The issue arises from improper handling of credential storage and retrieval mechanisms within GitLab's integration framework, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and data exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and credential management practices within GitLab's configuration handling system. When maintainers interact with Datadog integration settings, the system fails to properly restrict access to sensitive credential information, allowing users with maintainer roles to potentially extract Datadog API keys through specific API calls or configuration queries. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks and improper privilege separation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control issues, and specifically relates to CWE-798 which deals with hardcoded credentials. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration management issues can create significant security risks when dealing with third-party integration credentials.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using GitLab with Datadog monitoring services. An attacker with maintainer privileges could extract Datadog API keys and potentially gain access to monitoring data, metrics, and other sensitive information that Datadog provides. The exposure of these credentials could lead to unauthorized access to cloud resources, disruption of monitoring services, and potential data exfiltration through Datadog's integration points. This vulnerability also poses risks for organizations that rely on Datadog for security monitoring and incident response, as compromised API keys could allow attackers to manipulate monitoring alerts or hide malicious activities from detection systems. The attack surface extends beyond simple credential theft to include potential lateral movement and privilege escalation within organizations that use GitLab as their primary code repository and CI/CD platform.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of affected GitLab installations to versions 18.7.6, 18.8.6, or 18.9.2 respectively, depending on the current version in use. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of GitLab's configuration management systems and API access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive reviews of all GitLab integrations, particularly those involving third-party monitoring and observability platforms. The fix addresses the underlying access control mechanisms and ensures that Datadog API credentials are properly protected from unauthorized access attempts by users with maintainer roles. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following the principle of least privilege and implementing proper segregation of duties within DevOps environments where GitLab serves as a central integration platform. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as credential rotation policies, API key monitoring, and regular security assessments of their GitLab integration configurations to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The remediation process should include verification that no unauthorized access has occurred and that all existing Datadog API keys have been rotated as a precautionary measure.