CVE-2023-1733 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE record pertains to a denial of service vulnerability found in the Prometheus server bundled with GitLab. The vulnerability affects various versions of GitLab ranging from 11.10 to 15.10.1.

Understanding CVE-2023-1733

This section will delve into what CVE-2023-1733 entails, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-1733?

CVE-2023-1733 is a denial of service vulnerability discovered in the Prometheus server included with GitLab. It allows attackers to create a condition that results in the server becoming unresponsive, thereby denying legitimate users access to the service.

The Impact of CVE-2023-1733

The impact of this vulnerability is categorized as medium, with a base score of 5.8. It can lead to a disruption of service availability for affected versions of GitLab, potentially causing inconvenience and downtime for users and organizations relying on the software.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-1733

In this section, we will explore the specific technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves uncontrolled resource consumption in GitLab due to the Prometheus server component, leading to a denial of service condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

The versions impacted include GitLab versions from 11.10 to 15.8.5, 15.9 to 15.9.4, and 15.10 to 15.10.1.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the affected server, causing it to consume excessive resources and become unresponsive.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section focuses on steps to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-1733 and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations using affected versions should consider upgrading to the latest patched versions provided by GitLab.
Implement network-level protections and monitoring to detect and mitigate potential denial of service attacks targeting the Prometheus server component.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and apply security updates and patches released by GitLab to address vulnerabilities promptly.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and remediate potential security weaknesses within the software environment.

Patching and Updates

GitLab has released patches to address the CVE-2023-1733 vulnerability. Users are advised to update their GitLab installations to the latest fixed versions to protect against potential exploitation and ensure the security and availability of the service.