CVE-2025-0549 is a security vulnerability identified in GitLab Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE) affecting versions from 17.3 up to but not including 17.9.8, 17.10 up to 17.10.6, and 17.11 up to 17.11.2. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-288, which pertains to authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel. Specifically, this flaw allows attackers to circumvent the Device OAuth flow protections implemented in GitLab. The Device OAuth flow is designed to securely authorize devices with minimal user interaction, but due to this vulnerability, an attacker can submit authorization forms with minimal user involvement, effectively bypassing intended security controls. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.8, indicating a medium severity level. The vector details (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N) reveal that the attack can be performed remotely over the network without privileges but requires high attack complexity and some user interaction. The impact is significant on confidentiality and integrity, as unauthorized access can lead to exposure and modification of sensitive data within GitLab repositories and projects. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches are linked in the provided data, though the affected versions indicate that fixed releases exist beyond the specified vulnerable versions. This vulnerability poses a risk to organizations relying on GitLab for source code management and CI/CD pipelines, as unauthorized access could lead to code tampering, data leakage, or further compromise of development infrastructure.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-0549 can be substantial, especially for those heavily dependent on GitLab for software development and collaboration. Unauthorized bypass of OAuth protections could allow attackers to gain access to confidential source code, intellectual property, and internal project data. This could lead to intellectual property theft, insertion of malicious code, or disruption of development workflows. Given the widespread adoption of GitLab across various sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and technology in Europe, the breach of confidentiality and integrity could have regulatory repercussions under GDPR due to potential exposure of personal data within repositories or pipelines. Additionally, compromised GitLab instances could serve as pivot points for further attacks within corporate networks. The requirement for user interaction reduces the ease of exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where social engineering or phishing attacks are common. The medium severity rating suggests that while the vulnerability is not trivially exploitable, the consequences of successful exploitation warrant prompt attention.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading GitLab instances to versions beyond 17.9.8, 17.10.6, and 17.11.2 as applicable, where this vulnerability has been addressed. In the absence of immediate patching, organizations should implement strict monitoring of OAuth authorization flows and review logs for unusual authorization form submissions. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for GitLab access can reduce the risk of unauthorized access even if the OAuth flow is bypassed. Network-level controls such as IP whitelisting and segmentation can limit exposure of GitLab servers to trusted networks. Additionally, organizations should conduct user awareness training to mitigate risks associated with social engineering that could facilitate the required user interaction for exploitation. Regular audits of GitLab permissions and repository access should be conducted to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. Finally, integrating GitLab with external identity providers that offer enhanced security features may provide additional layers of protection.