CVE-2023-5332 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE was published by GitLab on December 4, 2023, with a focus on a configuration issue in GitLab that affects GitLab-EE versions.

Understanding CVE-2023-5332

This vulnerability in GitLab requires the 'enable-script-checks' setting to be disabled to prevent bypassing a critical third-party library patch in Consul.

What is CVE-2023-5332?

The CVE-2023-5332 vulnerability stems from the need to set 'enable-script-checks' to False to enforce a patch provided by the vendor. Failure to do so could lead to the patch being bypassed, impacting the security of GitLab-EE.

The Impact of CVE-2023-5332

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as MEDIUM severity according to the CVSSv3.1 scoring system. With high attack complexity and privileges required, an attacker could potentially achieve high confidentiality and integrity impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-5332

This vulnerability falls under the problem type of CWE-16: Configuration, indicating issues related to configuration settings.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the necessity to disable 'enable-script-checks' in GitLab to ensure the proper application of a third-party library patch in Consul.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitLab-EE versions 9.5.0 to 16.4 are affected by this vulnerability, with specific version ranges susceptible to the issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires an attacker to bypass the third-party library Consul patch by manipulating the 'enable-script-checks' setting in GitLab.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-5332 and mitigate its impact, immediate steps and long-term security practices are recommended.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is advised to update GitLab-EE installations to versions 16.2.8, 16.3.5, 16.4.1, or above to remediate this vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure configuration practices and regularly updating software components can help prevent similar configuration-based vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring vendor security advisories and promptly applying patches and updates can bolster the security posture of GitLab installations.