CVE-2013-4583Network attack vector

Repository privilege escalation via path traversal

Published Jan 28, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Privilege escalation in GitLab 5.0 through 5.4.1 allows remote authenticated users to clone arbitrary repositories via Git SSH. The parse_cmd function in lib/gitlab_shell.rb copies the SSH repository argument without validating that it remains under the configured repositories root, allowing path traversal to another repository. An authenticated GitLab user with an SSH key can exploit this to bypass repository authorization and read repository contents; no service interruption is described.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability2.00%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in GitLab 5.0 through 5.4.1 allows remote authenticated users to clone arbitrary repositories via Git SSH. The parse_cmd function in lib/gitlab_shell.rb copies the SSH repository argument without validating that it remains under the configured repositories root, allowing path traversal to another repository. An authenticated GitLab user with an SSH key can exploit this to bypass repository authorization and read repository contents; no service interruption is described.

The record

CVE
CVE-2013-4583
Published
Jan 28, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab Shell
Classifications
CWE-269, T1006
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 28, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=before 1.7.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLab Shellversion=before 1.7.8
GitLab · GitLab Community Editionversion=before 6.2.4
GitLab · GitLabversion=5.0 before 5.4.2
GitLab · GitLab EEversion=before 6.2.1

Published CVSS scores

6.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1006Path and Directory Traversal

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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