CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-88765NVD status: Analyzed

GitLab: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-88765 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in GitLab, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.5 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 19.1.8, 19.2.6, 19.3.2 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 0.68% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 53% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update GitLab to 19.1.8 or 19.2.6 or 19.3.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
GitLabGitLab12.3 up to, but not including, 19.1.8; 19.2 up to, but not including, 19.2.6; 19.3 up to, but not including, 19.3.219.1.8, 19.2.6, 19.3.2

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
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
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:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (gitlab.com).

Official description

GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab EE affecting all versions from 12.3 to 19.1.8, 19.2 before 19.2.6, and 19.3 before 19.3.2 under certain conditions could allow an authenticated user to achieve remote code execution by importing a specially crafted Git project export to overflow the Unicode conversion buffer used in Advanced Search indexing.

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

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities (CWE-787)

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 Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.