CVE-2023-3511 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE record pertains to an issue of Improper Access Control in GitLab, affecting various versions of the software. The vulnerability allowed auditor users to fork and submit merge requests to private projects they were not members of.

Understanding CVE-2023-3511

GitLab EE versions from 8.17 before 16.4.4, versions from 16.5 before 16.5.4, and versions from 16.6 before 16.6.2 were impacted by this vulnerability.

What is CVE-2023-3511?

The vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-3511 is categorized under CWE-284: Improper Access Control. This weakness could lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of GitLab projects by auditor users.

The Impact of CVE-2023-3511

With this vulnerability, unauthorized users could perform actions like forking and submitting merge requests to private projects, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information stored within GitLab repositories.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-3511

The vulnerability arises due to improper access control measures in GitLab, allowing unauthorized users to perform actions on private projects.

Vulnerability Description

The issue stemmed from a flaw in GitLab EE versions, enabling auditor users to bypass access controls and interact with projects they were not authorized to access.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab versions 8.17, 16.5, and 16.6 were found to be vulnerable to this exploit, with specific version ranges mentioned in the vulnerability report.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability exploited by auditor users allowed them to fork and submit merge requests to private projects, circumventing the intended access restrictions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-3511, users and organizations utilizing GitLab are advised to take immediate action to secure their systems and prevent unauthorized access.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to upgrade GitLab instances to versions 16.4.4, 16.5.4, 16.6.2, or above to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent unauthorized access to private projects.

Long-Term Security Practices

Organizations should enforce proper access controls, regularly review permissions, and conduct security audits to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive projects.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and staying up-to-date with the latest software versions is essential to protect against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-3511.