CVE-2021-22264 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

An issue has been discovered in GitLab that affects versions 13.8 before 14.0.9, versions 14.1 before 14.1.4, and versions 14.2 before 14.2.2. This vulnerability allows an invited group member to retain access to a project even after the group is deleted.

Understanding CVE-2021-22264

This section will cover the details of the CVE-2021-22264 vulnerability in GitLab.

What is CVE-2021-22264?

CVE-2021-22264 is a vulnerability found in GitLab versions that enables group members to maintain project access post group deletion.

The Impact of CVE-2021-22264

The vulnerability poses a medium security risk with high confidentiality and integrity impact, and a CVSS base score of 6.8.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-22264

This section will delve into the technical aspects of the CVE-2021-22264 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to improper privilege management in GitLab, allowing group members to retain project access.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab versions >=13.8 and <14.0.9, >=14.1 and <14.1.4, and >=14.2 and <14.2.2 are impacted by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Under specific circumstances, an invited group member can continue to have access to a project even after the inviting group is deleted.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section discusses the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-22264.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update their GitLab instances to versions that have patched this vulnerability to prevent unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access control policies and regularly monitor group privileges to prevent similar issues in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly apply security patches released by GitLab to stay protected from known vulnerabilities.