CVE-2025-7000
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in GitLab allows unauthorized users to view confidential branch names when accessing project issues with related merge requests. It affects GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition users running vulnerable versions. The exposure occurs under specific conditions where branch names are leaked through the issue interface.
💻 Affected Systems
- GitLab Community Edition
- GitLab Enterprise Edition
📦 What is this software?
Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →Gitlab by Gitlab
GitLab is a complete DevOps platform providing source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, container registry, and collaboration tools used by millions of developers and thousands of enterprises worldwide. As both a cloud-hosted SaaS offering (GitLab.com) and self-managed software, G...
Learn more about Gitlab →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could discover sensitive branch names that might reveal development strategies, feature names, or security-related work, potentially aiding further targeted attacks.
Likely Case
Unauthorized users within the GitLab instance could accidentally discover branch names they shouldn't have access to, potentially exposing internal development information.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, the impact is limited to information disclosure of branch names only, not actual code or sensitive data.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires some level of access to the GitLab instance but no special privileges; involves accessing project issues in a specific way.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 18.3.6, 18.4.4, or 18.5.2
Vendor Advisory: https://about.gitlab.com/releases/2025/11/12/patch-release-gitlab-18-5-2-released/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your GitLab instance. 2. Update to GitLab 18.3.6, 18.4.4, or 18.5.2 depending on your current version. 3. Restart GitLab services. 4. Verify the update was successful.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict issue access
allTemporarily restrict access to project issues for unauthorized users until patching can be completed.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who can view project issues
- Monitor audit logs for unusual access patterns to project issues
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check your GitLab version against affected ranges: 17.6-18.3.5, 18.4-18.4.3, or 18.5-18.5.1Check Version:
sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info | grep 'Version:'Verify Fix Applied:
Verify GitLab version is 18.3.6, 18.4.4, or 18.5.2 or higher📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual access patterns to project issues by unauthorized users
- Multiple failed attempts to access restricted project issues
Network Indicators:
- Increased traffic to project issue endpoints from unauthorized IPs
SIEM Query:
source="gitlab" AND (event="project_issue_access" OR event="merge_request_view") AND user_role="guest" OR user_role="reporter"