CVE-2018-19496 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been identified in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition versions 10.x and 11.x, allowing users with inadequate privileges to wrongly promote a project milestone to a group milestone.

Understanding CVE-2018-19496

This CVE relates to an access control issue in GitLab versions 10.x and 11.x, specifically affecting versions before 11.3.11, 11.4.x before 11.4.8, and 11.5.x before 11.5.1.

What is CVE-2018-19496?

This CVE refers to an incorrect access control vulnerability in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition, enabling users with insufficient privileges to elevate a project milestone to a group milestone.

The Impact of CVE-2018-19496

The vulnerability allows unauthorized users to perform actions that should be restricted, potentially leading to unauthorized changes in project milestones.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-19496

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in GitLab versions 10.x and 11.x before 11.3.11, 11.4.x before 11.4.8, and 11.5.x before 11.5.1 allows users with inadequate privileges to promote a project milestone to a group milestone.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition versions 10.x and 11.x
Versions before 11.3.11, 11.4.x before 11.4.8, and 11.5.x before 11.5.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users with insufficient privileges can exploit this vulnerability to elevate project milestones in GitLab.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade GitLab to versions 11.3.11, 11.4.8, or 11.5.1, where the vulnerability is patched.
Review and adjust access control settings to ensure proper user privileges.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update access control policies to prevent unauthorized actions.
Educate users on the importance of maintaining proper access levels to prevent security risks.

Patching and Updates

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