CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-9164NVD status: Analyzed

GitLab: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-9164 is a high-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in GitLab, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 17.2.9, 17.3.5, 17.4.2 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 1.04% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 64% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update GitLab to 17.2.9 or 17.3.5 or 17.4.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
GitLabGitLab12.5 up to, but not including, 17.2.9; 17.3 up to, but not including, 17.3.5; 17.4 up to, but not including, 17.4.217.2.9, 17.3.5, 17.4.2

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
LowA basic user account is enough.
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.19.6CriticalCNA (gitlab.com)
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD

Official description

An issue was discovered in GitLab EE affecting all versions starting from 12.5 prior to 17.2.9, starting from 17.3, prior to 17.3.5, and starting from 17.4 prior to 17.4.2, which allows running pipelines on arbitrary branches.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality

The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
  • When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.

More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other references

Other vulnerabilities in GitLab

All GitLab vulnerabilities

Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.