GitLab: Incorrect Ownership Assignment
CVE-2023-4008 is a critical-severity incorrect ownership assignment vulnerability in GitLab, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 16.0.8, 16.1.3, 16.2.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating GitLab to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 54% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update GitLab to 16.0.8 or 16.1.3 or 16.2.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitLab | GitLab | 15.9 up to, but not including, 16.0.8; 16.1 up to, but not including, 16.1.3; 16.2 up to, but not including, 16.2.2 | 16.0.8, 16.1.3, 16.2.2 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 5.3 | Medium | CNA (gitlab.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting from 15.9 before 16.0.8, all versions starting from 16.1 before 16.1.3, all versions starting from 16.2 before 16.2.2. It was possible to takeover GitLab Pages with unique domain URLs if the random string added was known.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Ownership Assignment
The product assigns an owner to a resource, but the owner is outside of the intended control sphere.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Periodically review the privileges and their owners.
More Incorrect Ownership Assignment vulnerabilities (CWE-708)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
Other vulnerabilities in GitLab
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
Recent Incorrect Ownership Assignment vulnerabilities
- 7.3 High severity
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