CVE-2023-5226
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') in GitLab
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') in GitLab
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
CVE-2023-5226- CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-57555
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
EUVD-2023-57555- CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-6wgj-fxqf-wxj2
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions...
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
GHSA-6wgj-fxqf-wxj2- CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
CVE-2023-5226- CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') in GitLab
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
CVE-2023-5226- CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2023-5226
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2023-5226- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 4.8 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-gitlab-2023-5226 No score
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') in GitLab
An issue has been discovered in GitLab affecting all versions before 16.4.3, all versions starting from 16.5 before 16.5.3, all versions starting from 16.6 before 16.6.1. Under certain circumstances, a malicious actor bypass prohibited branch checks using a specially crafted branch name to manipulate repository content in the UI.
- Record
BIT-gitlab-2023-5226- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-5226 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.8) in Gitlab, published December 1, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.55%, the 46th percentile. Fixed in gitlab 16.4.3.