Ethical Hacking News
CISA Warns of Ongoing GitLab SSRF Flaw Exploitation Amidst Rising Cybersecurity Concerns
A critical vulnerability in GitLab, CVE-2021-39935, has been found to be actively being exploited in attacks. CISA warns federal agencies and all organizations to patch their systems against this vulnerability within the specified timeframe, emphasizing its potential impact on security. Stay up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity concerns and take proactive measures to secure your organization's devices and infrastructure.
CISA has issued a warning about an ongoing vulnerability in GitLab (CVE-2021-39935) that has been exploited by attackers. The vulnerability, a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) flaw, affects all versions of GitLab CE/EE starting from 10.5 before 14.3.6 and all versions starting from 14.4 before 14.4.4 and 14.5 before 14.5.2. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated external users with no privileges to access the CI Lint API, potentially providing attackers with a way to manipulate or disrupt internal systems and workflows. CISA has ordered government agencies to patch their systems against this vulnerability within three weeks by February 24, 2026, due to its potential impact on federal security.
CISA, or the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has recently issued a warning about an ongoing vulnerability in GitLab that has been exploited by attackers in recent attacks. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-39935, is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) flaw that affects all versions of GitLab CE/EE starting from 10.5 before 14.3.6, and all versions starting from 14.4 before 14.4.4, and all versions starting from 14.5 before 14.5.2.
The SSRF flaw allows unauthenticated external users with no privileges to access the CI Lint API, which is used to simulate pipelines and validate CI/CD configurations. This can potentially provide attackers with a way to manipulate or disrupt internal systems and workflows within affected organizations.
GitLab patched this vulnerability in December 2021, stating that it could allow external users without developer privileges to access the CI Lint API. The company noted that user registration limitations should prevent such unauthorized access.
However, despite being patched five years ago, CISA has now flagged the CVE-2021-39935 as a critical vulnerability currently being exploited in attacks. CISA has ordered government agencies to patch their systems against this vulnerability within three weeks, by February 24, 2026, due to its potential impact on federal security.
This comes amidst rising concerns about cybersecurity and the need for organizations to prioritize securing their devices and infrastructure against ongoing vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-39935. CISA warns that these types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise.
In addition to the GitLab SSRF flaw, CISA has also flagged another critical vulnerability in SolarWinds Web Help Desk, which is currently being exploited in attacks. This highlights the ongoing importance of keeping software up-to-date and patched against known vulnerabilities.
Shodan, a search engine for Internet-connected devices, reports that over 49,000 devices with a GitLab fingerprint are exposed online, mostly from China, and nearly 27,000 are using the default port 443. These numbers underscore the widespread impact of this vulnerability and the need for organizations to take immediate action.
GitLab states that its DevSecOps platform has more than 30 million registered users and is used by over 50% of Fortune 100 companies, including well-known firms such as Nvidia, Airbus, Goldman Sachs, T-Mobile, and Lockheed Martin. This highlights the potential exposure of these high-profile organizations to this vulnerability.
In response to CISA's warning, GitLab urges users to follow vendor instructions for patching their systems against CVE-2021-39935. For those unable to apply patches, they should discontinue use of the affected product until a fix is available. These measures are essential in mitigating potential attacks and minimizing damage.
Furthermore, CISA has urged all organizations, including private sector entities, to prioritize securing their devices against ongoing CVE-2021-39935 attacks. It emphasizes that these vulnerabilities pose significant risks and that timely application of patches is crucial in defending against malicious actors.
The importance of prioritizing cybersecurity cannot be overstated, especially with the rise of sophisticated cyber threats and the increasing interconnectedness of systems worldwide. As such, it is essential for organizations to stay vigilant and proactive in addressing ongoing vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-39935.
The recent announcements from CISA underscore the need for timely patching, awareness, and vigilance in the face of ongoing cybersecurity challenges. By taking these steps, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure to potential attacks and ensure a more secure digital environment.
In conclusion, the ongoing exploitation of the CVE-2021-39935 SSRF flaw highlights the critical importance of keeping software up-to-date and patched against known vulnerabilities. As CISA warns, timely patching is essential in mitigating potential attacks and minimizing damage. Organizations must prioritize securing their devices and infrastructure against these types of vulnerabilities to safeguard their operations and protect against rising cybersecurity threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/CISA-Warns-of-Ongoing-GitLab-SSRF-Flaw-Exploitation-Amidst-Rising-Cybersecurity-Concerns-ehn.shtml
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-warns-of-five-year-old-gitlab-flaw-exploited-in-attacks/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/cisa-warns-gitlab-ssrf-vulnerability-exploit/
https://gbhackers.com/cisa-warns-of-exploited-gitlab-community/
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-39935
https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2021-39935/
Published: Wed Feb 4 09:51:21 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
