CVE-2018-17453 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in previous versions of GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition allowed attackers to potentially retrieve sensitive access-token information from Sentry logs.

Understanding CVE-2018-17453

This CVE identifies a security issue in GitLab versions prior to 11.1.7, 11.2.x before 11.2.4, and 11.3.x before 11.3.1, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive data.

What is CVE-2018-17453?

The vulnerability in GitLab versions allowed attackers to extract sensitive access-token details from Sentry logs via the GRPC::Unknown exception.

The Impact of CVE-2018-17453

Attackers could potentially access and misuse sensitive access-token information.
Unauthorized retrieval of this data could lead to security breaches and unauthorized system access.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-17453

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in GitLab versions allowed for the extraction of sensitive access-token information from Sentry logs through the GRPC::Unknown exception.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition versions before 11.1.7, 11.2.x before 11.2.4, and 11.3.x before 11.3.1.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploited the vulnerability by accessing Sentry logs and extracting sensitive access-token details through the GRPC::Unknown exception.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-17453 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GitLab to versions 11.1.7, 11.2.4, or 11.3.1 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor access-token usage and review Sentry logs for any unauthorized access attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement access controls to restrict access to sensitive information.
Regularly audit and review system logs for any suspicious activities.
Educate users on secure coding practices and the importance of protecting access tokens.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by GitLab to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.