CVE-2020-13356 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE that affects multiple versions, potentially allowing unauthorized access to specific server files.

Understanding CVE-2020-13356

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE that could lead to information exposure.

What is CVE-2020-13356?

This vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE versions allows a specially crafted request to bypass Multipart protection, potentially enabling access to certain server files.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13356

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.2 (High severity) and could result in high confidentiality impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13356

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in GitLab CE/EE versions >=8.8.9 and <13.5.2 allows unauthorized file access through specific server paths.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab CE/EE versions >=8.8.9, <13.3.9, >=13.4, <13.4.5, >=13.5, <13.5.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Vector String: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-13356 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GitLab CE/EE to a non-vulnerable version.
Monitor server logs for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update server security configurations.
Conduct security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by GitLab promptly to mitigate the vulnerability.