GitLabApplication
CVE-2020-11506
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered in GitLab 10.7.0 and later through 12.9.2. A Workhorse bypass could lead to job artifact uploads and file disclosure (Exposure of Sensitive Information) via request smuggling.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is a request smuggling vulnerability in GitLab's Workhorse component (the reverse proxy that handles file uploads and other operations). The flaw allows attackers to bypass Workhorse security controls and potentially upload malicious job artifacts or access sensitive files on the GitLab server. The vulnerability stems from how GitLab handles proxied requests.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
GitLabApplication
>= 10.7.0, < 12.7.9>= 10.7.9, < 12.7.9>= 12.8.0, < 12.8.9>= 12.9.0, < 12.9.3CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed GitLab versionRun 'gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info' or check /opt/gitlab/gitlab-version file. Alternatively, access the GitLab admin area at /admin/about which displays the version number.Affected if The displayed version falls within 10.7.0 to 12.9.2 (any version >=10.7.0 but <12.7.9, or >=12.8.0 but <12.8.9, or >=12.9.0 but <12.9.3)
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Confirm Workhorse component is activeCheck that the GitLab instance is running and processing requests. Workhorse is the reverse proxy component that handles file uploads and is active by default in standard GitLab installations.Affected if Workhorse is running and handling proxied requests, which is the default configuration for affected GitLab versions.
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Verify CI/CD artifacts feature is enabledNavigate to the GitLab admin settings at /admin/settings/ci_cd or check if any projects have CI/CD pipelines configured with artifact uploads enabled.Affected if The artifacts feature is enabled, as this is the attack vector for uploading malicious job artifacts through the Workhorse bypass.
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Check for exposed GitLab web interfaceConfirm the GitLab instance is accessible over HTTP/HTTPS. The vulnerability allows smuggling requests through the reverse proxy to access internal resources.Affected if GitLab is exposed on a network, making the Workhorse component reachable to potential attackers.
You are affected if your GitLab version is 10.7.0 through 12.9.2 and the Workhorse component is handling proxied requests, which is the default state.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data12.7.912.8.912.9.3
Upgrade GitLab to version 12.9.3 or later to patch the Workhorse bypass vulnerability. Organizations running affected versions (10.7.0 through 12.9.2) should prioritize this upgrade given the high CVSS score and potential for sensitive data exposure.
Fix this in GitLab
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-11506 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-11506 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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