CVE-2023-2181 Security feature bypass in GitLab
A malicious developer can smuggle hidden content into merge requests using git refs/replace, bypassing code review visibility in GitLab.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-2181?
CVE-2023-2181 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gitlab Gitlab, published on 12 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 15.9.8, 15.10.0 before 15.10.7, and 15.11.0 before 15.11.3. A malicious developer could use a git feature called refs/replace to smuggle content into a merge request which would not be visible during review in the UI.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-2181?
1 open source package ship an affected version, including gitlab. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
gitlab Bitnami | All versions | 15.9.8, 15.10.7, 15.11.3 |
Products include Gitlab Gitlab.
How do I fix CVE-2023-2181?
Upgrade gitlab to a fixed version for your release line: 15.9.8, 15.10.7 or 15.11.3.
Is CVE-2023-2181 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-2181 exists.
Other vulnerabilities in Gitlab Gitlab
- CVE-2026-97229 GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition Integer Overflow or Wraparound
- CVE-2026-85706 GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition Path Traversal
- CVE-2023-7028 GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions Improper Access Control
- CVE-2021-22205 GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions Remote Code Execution
- CVE-2021-39935 GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
Sources
Also known as BIT-gitlab-2023-2181, GHSA-m96m-mfqc-86mf, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-2181.