CVE-2023-7028 is a critical security vulnerability affecting multiple recent versions of GitLab CE/EE, specifically versions 16.1 through 16.7 prior to their respective patch releases. The vulnerability stems from a weak password recovery mechanism, categorized under CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism). The core issue is that password reset emails can be sent to unverified email addresses. This flaw allows an attacker to potentially intercept or redirect password reset tokens or links to an email address they control, bypassing the intended security controls that verify ownership of the email address associated with the user account. The CVSS v3.1 score is 10.0, indicating a critical severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and a scope change that impacts confidentiality and integrity at a high level. Exploiting this vulnerability could allow an attacker to reset passwords of arbitrary GitLab user accounts, leading to full account takeover without needing authentication or user interaction. This could result in unauthorized access to source code repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and sensitive project data managed within GitLab instances. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature and severity make it a prime target for attackers once weaponized. The vulnerability affects all GitLab instances running the specified versions, including self-hosted and cloud deployments, potentially exposing a wide range of organizations that rely on GitLab for software development and collaboration.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-7028 is significant due to the widespread use of GitLab in software development, DevOps, and project management. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to proprietary source code, intellectual property theft, disruption of software development workflows, and potential insertion of malicious code into production environments. This compromises confidentiality and integrity of critical software assets. Additionally, compromised GitLab accounts could be leveraged to escalate attacks within the network, access other integrated systems, or exfiltrate sensitive data. Given the critical CVSS score and the lack of required privileges or user interaction, the threat is highly severe. European organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and technology, which often rely on GitLab for secure code management, are at heightened risk. The vulnerability could also undermine compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations if personal or sensitive data is exposed or altered. The potential for supply chain attacks via compromised repositories further amplifies the risk to European digital infrastructure and business continuity.

1. Immediate upgrade of all affected GitLab instances to the fixed versions: 16.1.6, 16.2.9, 16.3.7, 16.4.5, 16.5.6, 16.6.4, or 16.7.2 as applicable. 2. Implement strict email verification policies for user accounts to ensure that password reset emails are only sent to verified addresses. 3. Review and audit password reset workflows and logs to detect any anomalous or unauthorized password reset attempts. 4. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all GitLab accounts to add an additional layer of security beyond password resets. 5. Restrict access to GitLab instances to trusted networks or VPNs where feasible, reducing exposure to external attackers. 6. Monitor for suspicious activity related to password resets and account access, using SIEM or endpoint detection tools. 7. Educate users about phishing risks and the importance of verifying password reset emails. 8. For organizations using GitLab integrations, review and secure API tokens and credentials that could be impacted by account compromise. 9. Establish incident response procedures specific to GitLab account compromises to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts.