GitLab: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
CVE-2026-18252 is a high-severity inclusion of functionality from untrusted control sphere vulnerability in GitLab, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 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 19.1.7, 19.2.5, 19.3.1 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 0.52% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update GitLab to 19.1.7 or 19.2.5 or 19.3.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on docs.gitlab.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitLab | GitLab | 18.9 up to, but not including, 19.1.7; 19.2 up to, but not including, 19.2.5; 19.3 up to, but not including, 19.3.1 | 19.1.7, 19.2.5, 19.3.1 |
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
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.3 | High | CNA (gitlab.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.1 | High | NVD |
Official description
GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab EE affecting all versions from 18.9 before 19.1.7, 19.2 before 19.2.5, and 19.3 before 19.3.1 that, under certain conditions, an authenticated user with developer-role permissions could have executed arbitrary commands in a CI context, due to the Claude agent processing configuration from a user-controlled source.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
The product imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs. For example, ID 1 could map to inbox.txt and ID 2 could map to profile.txt. Features such as the ESAPI AccessReferenceMap provide this capability.
- 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.
More Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere vulnerabilities (CWE-829)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- hackerone.com/reports/3863650Permissions Required, Third Party Advisory
Other references
- gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/607342Issue Tracking
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 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere vulnerabilities
- 8.0 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
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