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GitLabApplication

CVE-2021-22238

MEDIUM · 5.4 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-08-20
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 13.12.9 / 14.0.7 or later.
See remediation →
58/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
High EPSS Remotely reachable

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 · unedited
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions starting with 13.3. GitLab was vulnerable to a stored XSS by using the design feature in issues.

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 confidence

GitLab versions 13.3 and later contain a stored XSS vulnerability in the design feature within issues. Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript payloads into design attachments or metadata that persist on the server and execute when other users view the affected issue.

MitigationUpgrade GitLab to the patched version (consult GitLab's security release for exact version). Until then, restrict access to the design feature in affected projects and disable issue creation for untrusted users.

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
Affected:>= 13.3.0, < 13.12.9>= 14.0.0, < 14.0.7>= 14.1.0, < 14.1.2

CVSS 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
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check your GitLab version
    Run `gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info` or visit the Admin Area > Settings > General page to view the installed GitLab version
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of these ranges: 13.3.0 to 13.12.8, 14.0.0 to 14.0.6, or 14.1.0 to 14.1.1
  2. Verify if the design feature is accessible
    Navigate to a project settings area or check if the design management feature is available in the issues sidebar. You can also query the database: `SELECT name, path FROM projects WHERE design_management_enabled = true;`
    Affected if Design management is enabled for any project in your GitLab instance
  3. Inspect issues with design attachments
    Review recent issues that contain design attachments. Check the design metadata or file names for unexpected characters, script tags, or base64-encoded content. Use the API: `GET /projects/:id/issues/:issue_iid/designs`
    Affected if You find design attachments or metadata containing JavaScript code, HTML script tags, or event handlers such as onload, onerror, or onclick
  4. Search for recent design-related activity
    Review GitLab audit logs for the event type `design_management_design_created` or `design_management_design_updated` around the time frame of the vulnerability disclosure. Check for unusual user agents or IP patterns.
    Affected if Audit logs show design creations or updates from untrusted users that contain suspicious payload patterns

You are affected if your GitLab version is within the vulnerable ranges AND the design feature is enabled, particularly if you find malicious payloads in design attachments or metadata.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 13.12.9 / 14.0.7 / 14.1.2 or later
Fixed in 13.12.914.0.714.1.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade GitLab to the patched version (consult GitLab's security release for exact version). Until then, restrict access to the design feature in affected projects and disable issue creation for untrusted users.

Recommended fix High confidence

14.1.2 or later (or latest stable)

  1. Upgrade GitLab to version 13.12.9 or later for the 13.x branch
  2. OR upgrade to version 14.0.7 or later for the 14.0 branch
  3. OR upgrade to version 14.1.2 or later for the 14.1 branch
  4. Alternatively, upgrade to the latest stable GitLab release which contains the fix
Caveat Patch upgrades within same major.minor typically have minimal breaking changes; always review release notes

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in GitLab Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-22238 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data