CVE-2020-13301 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability was discovered in GitLab versions before 13.1.10, 13.2.8, and 13.3.4, leading to stored XSS on the standalone vulnerability page.

Understanding CVE-2020-13301

This CVE affects GitLab versions and poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 5.5.

What is CVE-2020-13301?

The vulnerability in GitLab versions before 13.1.10, 13.2.8, and 13.3.4 allows for stored XSS on the standalone vulnerability page.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13301

CVSS Base Score: 5.5 (Medium Severity)
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: Low
Privileges Required: High
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Availability Impact: None

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13301

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves improper neutralization of input during web page generation, leading to cross-site scripting (XSS) in GitLab.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: GitLab
Vendor: GitLab
Vulnerable Versions:
=12.10, <13.1.10

=13.2, <13.2.8

=13.3, <13.3.4

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious scripts on the standalone vulnerability page, potentially compromising user data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-13301 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GitLab to versions 13.1.10, 13.2.8, or 13.3.4 or later to eliminate the vulnerability.
Monitor and restrict user input to prevent XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly scan and audit your web applications for vulnerabilities.
Educate developers on secure coding practices to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from GitLab and promptly apply patches to secure your systems.