CVE-2018-18843 : Security Advisory and Response

A SSRF vulnerability exists in the Kubernetes integration of GitLab Enterprise Edition versions 11.x prior to 11.2.8, 11.3.x prior to 11.3.9, and 11.4.x prior to 11.4.4.

Understanding CVE-2018-18843

This CVE involves a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in GitLab Enterprise Edition's Kubernetes integration.

What is CVE-2018-18843?

The Kubernetes integration in GitLab Enterprise Edition versions 11.x before 11.2.8, 11.3.x before 11.3.9, and 11.4.x before 11.4.4 is susceptible to SSRF attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2018-18843

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to send crafted requests from the server, potentially leading to unauthorized access to internal systems or services.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-18843

The technical aspects of this CVE are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The Kubernetes integration in affected GitLab versions is vulnerable to SSRF attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab Enterprise Edition 11.x before 11.2.8
GitLab Enterprise Edition 11.3.x before 11.3.9
GitLab Enterprise Edition 11.4.x before 11.4.4

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to the server, tricking it into accessing unauthorized resources.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-18843, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GitLab Enterprise Edition to versions 11.2.8, 11.3.9, or 11.4.4, which contain fixes for the SSRF vulnerability.
Monitor and restrict network traffic to prevent unauthorized requests.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict input validation to prevent malicious input from reaching the server.
Regularly audit and review server configurations to identify and address potential security weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from GitLab and promptly apply patches to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.