CVE-2023-1787 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2023-1787, an issue discovered in GitLab affecting multiple versions.

Understanding CVE-2023-1787

CVE-2023-1787 is a vulnerability found in GitLab, impacting versions starting from 15.9 before 15.9.4 and versions starting from 15.10 before 15.10.1. The vulnerability stems from a specific HTML payload that could trigger a search timeout when used in the issue description.

What is CVE-2023-1787?

The CVE-2023-1787 vulnerability in GitLab allows for uncontrolled resource consumption, potentially leading to a denial of service (DoS) scenario.

The Impact of CVE-2023-1787

The impact of CVE-2023-1787 is considered moderate with a base severity rating of 4.3, categorized as a Medium-level threat. The availability impact is low, with no impact on confidentiality or integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-1787

The following technical details provide a deeper understanding of the CVE-2023-1787 vulnerability in GitLab.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit a search timeout issue by utilizing a specific HTML payload in the issue description field, leading to uncontrolled resource consumption.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab versions from 15.9 to 15.9.4 and versions from 15.10 to 15.10.1 are affected by CVE-2023-1787. Users utilizing these specific versions are at risk of the search timeout vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit CVE-2023-1787, threat actors can craft a specific HTML payload and insert it into the issue description field, triggering a search timeout that could potentially disrupt the service availability.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2023-1787 and prevent exploitation, several mitigation and prevention measures can be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

GitLab users should update their systems to versions 15.9.4 or later and versions 15.10.1 or higher to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for abnormal resource consumption can help in detecting potential exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, regularly updating software to the latest versions, and conducting security assessments can enhance the overall security posture and mitigate similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

GitLab has released patches for CVE-2023-1787 in versions 15.9.4 and 15.10.1. Users are advised to apply these patches promptly to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.