CVE-2025-9958 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 09/26/2025
An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions from 14.10 before 18.2.7, 18.3 before 18.3.3, and 18.4 before 18.4.1, that could have allowed Guest users to access sensitive information stored in virtual registry configurations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-9958 represents a critical access control flaw within GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition platforms that has persisted across multiple version ranges. This issue affects systems running versions prior to the specified patches, creating a persistent security gap that could be exploited by unauthorized users. The flaw specifically targets the virtual registry configuration storage mechanisms within GitLab's architecture, where sensitive information is improperly exposed to users with guest privileges. Such a vulnerability directly undermines the principle of least privilege and could enable unauthorized access to confidential data that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization checks within GitLab's registry configuration handling subsystem. When guest users attempt to access virtual registry configurations, the system fails to properly validate their permissions against the stored sensitive data. This misconfiguration allows unauthorized access to registry settings that may contain authentication tokens, access credentials, or other confidential parameters required for system operation. The flaw operates at the application layer and could be leveraged through standard user interface interactions or API calls that target registry configuration endpoints. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-284 Access Control, specifically representing insufficient access control mechanisms that permit unauthorized information access.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-9958 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as guest users could potentially gain insights into system architecture and security configurations that would normally be restricted. This access could enable attackers to develop more sophisticated attack vectors or gain deeper understanding of the system's internal workings. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on GitLab's container registry functionality, where registry configurations often contain sensitive operational data. Attackers could use the exposed information to craft targeted attacks against other system components or to escalate privileges within the platform. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing, as it could enable attackers to obtain credentials or system information that could be used for further exploitation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended patches for their GitLab installations, ensuring that all systems are updated to versions 18.2.7, 18.3.3, or 18.4.1 respectively. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of their registry configurations to identify any potential unauthorized access that may have occurred during the vulnerability window. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns to registry endpoints, while access controls should be reviewed to ensure proper privilege allocation. Security teams should also consider implementing automated scanning tools to identify similar access control weaknesses in other applications and systems within their environment. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access control configurations in collaborative development platforms.