CVE-2024-4278: Critical Information Disclosure Vulnerability in GitLab EE Affecting Various Versions

A recently discovered information disclosure vulnerability in GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) has been assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2024-4278. This vulnerability enables project maintainers to obtain Dependency Proxy passwords by editing specific Dependency Proxy settings. The issue affects GitLab EE versions 16.5 through 17.2.8, 17.3 through 17.3.4, and 17.4 through 17.4.1.

This article will delve into the details of the vulnerability, exploitation, recommended mitigation steps, and provide a code snippet related to the attack. We will also provide links to the original vulnerability report and other relevant references.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper access control in GitLab EE's Dependency Proxy implementation. An attacker with project maintainer access can modify certain Dependency Proxy settings to obtain the stored Dependency Proxy passwords. The exact steps for exploiting this vulnerability are not shared here due to responsible disclosure practices. However, it is essential to understand that this vulnerability enables unauthorized access to sensitive information, posing a significant risk to affected organizations and their software supply chain.

Code Snippet

Below is a code snippet demonstrating a possible attack on an affected GitLab instance. The specific details of the exploit have been omitted for security reasons.

import requests

def exploit(url, session):
    
    # Step 1: Authenticate and obtain a valid session
    # (Code omitted)
    
    # Step 2: Send a request to modify certain Dependency Proxy settings with malicious content
    # (Code omitted)
    
    # Step 3: Obtain Dependency Proxy password
    # (Code omitted)
    
    print(f"Dependency Proxy Password: {password}")

Mitigation and Solution

GitLab has released security updates to address the vulnerability described in this report. Users are urged to update their GitLab EE instances to patch the vulnerability as soon as possible. The fixed GitLab EE versions are:

17.4.1

Organizations should additionally follow best practices for secure access control and ensure that sensitive data, such as passwords, is properly protected through encryption and appropriate permissions settings.

References

1. Original Vulnerability Report: GitLab Security Advisory
2. GitLab Patch Release Notes: GitLab EE 17.2.8, 17.3.4, and 17.4.1
3. NIST CVE Entry: CVE-2024-4278

Conclusion

CVE-2024-4278 is a critical information disclosure vulnerability affecting multiple versions of GitLab EE. Due to the sensitive nature of the data exposed, it is essential to patch affected instances promptly and review access control settings. Users are encouraged to stay informed about the latest security updates and best practices to protect their organizations from potential security threats.

Timeline

Published on: 09/26/2024 07:15:02 UTC
Last modified on: 09/26/2024 17:26:34 UTC