Patch time: Critical GitLab vulnerability exposes 2FA-less users to account takeovers

Patch time: Critical GitLab vulnerability exposes 2FA-less users to account takeovers

January 15, 2024 at 12:41PM

GitLab admins must urgently apply the latest security patches due to a critical account-bypass vulnerability (CVE-2023-7028) impacting versions 16.1.0 to 16.7.1. Attackers can exploit it to send password reset emails and potentially take over accounts. Enabling 2FA is recommended as a stop-gap mitigation. Other vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-5356, CVE-2023-4812, CVE-2023-6955, and CVE-2023-2030) have also been addressed.

Based on the meeting notes, it is clear that there are several critical security vulnerabilities affecting GitLab instances that need to be addressed urgently. The vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2023-7028, CVE-2023-5356, CVE-2023-4812, CVE-2023-6955, and CVE-2023-2030, pose significant risks to the security of GitLab platforms.

The most pressing issue, CVE-2023-7028, is a critical account-bypass vulnerability that allows attackers to exploit a change introduced in GitLab version 16.1.0, potentially leading to account takeovers. The vulnerability affects various versions of GitLab’s Community and Enterprise editions, and all authentication mechanisms, including those using single sign-on (SSO), are impacted.

Additionally, CVE-2023-5356 allows attackers to execute slash commands in Slack or Mattermost, potentially compromising the confidentiality of sensitive data and allowing unauthorized access to organization’s workspaces.

Other critical vulnerabilities, such as CVE-2023-4812, CVE-2023-6955, and CVE-2023-2030, also need to be addressed promptly to prevent potential security breaches and abuse of GitLab instances.

The meeting notes also suggest implementing mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) across all accounts as a stop-gap measure to mitigate the vulnerabilities. Admins are advised to apply the latest security patches as soon as possible and perform a root cause analysis to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.

Overall, it is crucial for GitLab admins to take immediate action to address these security vulnerabilities and implement necessary mitigation measures to safeguard the integrity and security of GitLab instances.

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