CVE-2017-11438 : Security Advisory and Response

GitLab Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE) before versions 9.0.11, 9.1.8, 9.2.8 had a vulnerability that allowed an authorized user to add themselves to any project within a subgroup.

Understanding CVE-2017-11438

This CVE relates to a security issue in GitLab versions prior to 9.0.11, 9.1.8, 9.2.8 that could be exploited by privileged users.

What is CVE-2017-11438?

Before versions 9.0.11, 9.1.8, 9.2.8, GitLab CE and EE had a vulnerability that permitted an authorized user, who has the privilege to form a group, to include themselves in any project within a subgroup.

The Impact of CVE-2017-11438

The vulnerability allowed unauthorized access to projects within subgroups, potentially compromising sensitive information and settings.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-11438

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

GitLab CE and EE versions before 9.0.11, 9.1.8, 9.2.8 allowed authenticated users with group creation privileges to add themselves to projects within subgroups.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability could be exploited by an authenticated user with group creation permissions to add themselves to any project within a subgroup.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2017-11438 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade GitLab CE and EE to versions 9.0.11, 9.1.8, 9.2.8 or newer.
Review and adjust user privileges to limit access to sensitive projects.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update user permissions to ensure least privilege access.
Conduct security training for users to raise awareness about proper access control.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches promptly to stay protected against known vulnerabilities.