GitLab is a popular web-based DevOps application that helps developers manage, collaborate, and streamline their projects. However, a recently discovered open redirect vulnerability in GitLab, identified as CVE-2022-3280, can expose users to serious security risks. This vulnerability affects all GitLab CE/EE versions from 10.1 prior to 15.3.5, 15.4 prior to 15.4.4, and 15.5 prior to 15.5.2. In this post, we will discuss the CVE-2022-3280 vulnerability in detail, provide a code snippet to demonstrate the issue, and discuss mitigation measures to help protect your organization from this exploit.
What is CVE-2022-3280?
CVE-2022-3280 is an open redirect vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE that can enable an attacker to trick users into visiting a trustworthy URL and be redirected to arbitrary content, such as phishing sites. These redirects can lead to the victim unknowingly sharing personal information or credentials with the attacker. This is a particularly dangerous vulnerability when exploited in combination with other vulnerabilities, like cross-site scripting (XSS), to launch more sophisticated attacks.
Code Snippet: Exploiting CVE-2022-3280
Here's a simple code snippet showing how the open redirect vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE can be exploited:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<a href="https://VULNERABLE-GITLAB-INSTANCE/sign_in?return_to=https%3A%2F%2FEVIL-SITE%2Ffake-gitlab-login">Log into your GitLab account here</a>
</body>
</html>
In this code snippet, the attacker creates a phishing email containing a seemingly legitimate GitLab login link. However, the return_to parameter in the URL is manipulated to redirect the user to a malicious site (EVIL-SITE/fake-gitlab-login) after signing in, compromising their credentials.
Original References
The GitLab team has officially acknowledged this vulnerability and published security releases to address the CVE-2022-3280 vulnerability. You can find detailed information about the releases in the following links:
- GitLab Security Release: 15.5.2, 15.4.4, and 15.3.5
- CVE-2022-3280: GitLab Open Redirect Vulnerability
To mitigate this vulnerability, take the following steps
1. Upgrade your GitLab CE/EE instance to the latest security patch version. If you are running GitLab CE/EE version 10.1 to 15.3.4, upgrade to 15.3.5. If you are running 15.4. to 15.4.3, upgrade to 15.4.4. Similarly, if you are running 15.5. or 15.5.1, upgrade to 15.5.2.
2. Educate your users about the risks of phishing emails and how to identify these threats. Encourage them to verify the authenticity of URLs before clicking on them and to report any suspicious emails to the appropriate security team.
3. Implement strong multifactor authentication (MFA) for your GitLab users. This additional security layer can help protect user accounts even if their credentials are compromised through phishing attacks.
Conclusion
The CVE-2022-3280 vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE exposes organizations and users to potential security risks. By understanding the vulnerability, keeping your GitLab instances up-to-date with the latest security patches, and employing strong security practices, you can mitigate the risks posed by the CVE-2022-3280 exploit and protect your organization and users from potential attacks.
Timeline
Published on: 11/09/2022 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/11/2022 01:01:00 UTC