CVE-2019-6781 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability related to improper input validation in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition versions prior to 11.5.8, 11.6.x before 11.6.6, and 11.7.x before 11.7.1 allowed for the injection of harmful links into notification emails.

Understanding CVE-2019-6781

This CVE involves a security issue in GitLab versions that could potentially compromise the integrity of notification emails.

What is CVE-2019-6781?

This CVE identifies an Improper Input Validation vulnerability in GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition before specific versions. It enabled the injection of malicious links into notification emails using a profile name.

The Impact of CVE-2019-6781

The vulnerability could lead to the injection of harmful links into notification emails, potentially exposing users to phishing attacks or malicious websites.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-6781

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allowed attackers to inject potentially harmful links into notification emails by exploiting the profile name field in GitLab versions prior to 11.5.8, 11.6.x before 11.6.6, and 11.7.x before 11.7.1.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab Community and Enterprise Edition versions before 11.5.8
GitLab versions 11.6.x before 11.6.6
GitLab versions 11.7.x before 11.7.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit the profile name field to inject malicious links into notification emails, potentially tricking users into visiting harmful websites.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GitLab to versions 11.5.8, 11.6.6, or 11.7.1 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Educate users about the risks of clicking on links in emails, especially from unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement email filtering mechanisms to detect and block suspicious links in emails.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates provided by GitLab to address this vulnerability.