Description

GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab EE affecting all versions from 17.7 before 19.0.6, 19.1 before 19.1.4, and 19.2 before 19.2.2 that under certain conditions could have allowed an authenticated user to view restricted configuration settings due to improper authorization checks on a group settings page.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "4.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-12T18:17:28.127Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-12T18:17:28.127Z",
  "executiveSummary": "An improper authorization vulnerability has been identified within GitLab EE that allows authenticated users to access and view restricted configuration settings. The flaw stems from insufficient access control enforcement on a specific group settings page. Successful exploitation of this security defect compromises the confidentiality of sensitive administrative and configuration data across affected organizational groups. The vulnerability impacts GitLab EE versions spanning from 17.7 prior to 19.0.6, 19.1 prior to 19.1.4, and 19.2 prior to 19.2.2.\nThe risk implications are centered around unauthorized information disclosure, as exposed configuration settings may reveal internal topology, integration secrets, or operational parameters beneficial to an adversary. Exploitation requires authenticated access to the platform, meaning an attacker must possess a valid user account to interact with the vulnerable group settings endpoint. Under certain specific conditions governed by the application state, the authorization check fails to validate the requester's privilege level adequately, bypassing standard Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) boundaries. Organizations utilizing the affected GitLab EE branches face potential internal reconnaissance risks and should prioritize immediate remediation.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides in the authorization validation logic governing group settings pages within GitLab EE. Specifically, the root cause is an improper authorization check that fails to properly verify whether an authenticated user possesses the requisite administrative privileges before rendering sensitive configuration parameters.\nThe affected component is the group settings administrative interface in GitLab EE, impacting versions 17.7 before 19.0.6, 19.1 before 19.1.4, and 19.2 before 19.2.2. The vulnerability can be exploited over the network by any authenticated user who meets the specific conditional criteria defined by the flawed access control logic.\nThe step-by-step attack flow involves the following mechanics: First, an authenticated low-privileged user or an external attacker with standard platform credentials navigates to the targeted group settings page endpoint. Second, due to the absence or misconfiguration of rigorous privilege checks under certain operational conditions, the server processes the HTTP request without enforcing strict RBAC verification. Third, the application controller queries and retrieves restricted configuration settings associated with the group. Finally, the server serializes and renders the sensitive configuration data within the HTTP response payload, granting the unauthorized user visibility into parameters normally restricted to administrators or owners.\nThe post-exploitation impact is strictly tied to information disclosure. By harvesting restricted configuration settings, an adversary gains deeper visibility into the target environment, potentially identifying secondary attack vectors, misconfigurations, or API tokens exposed within group parameters to facilitate further compromise."
}