CVE-2021-22226Network attack vector

Protected-branch writes via deploy-key authorization bypass

Published Jul 6, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper authorization in GitLab allows remote authenticated users to push to protected branches restricted to deploy keys. The protected-branch push authorization path treats an allowed deploy key as permission for a Maintainer's user push instead of requiring that push to use the key. A Maintainer account and a branch configured to allow a deploy key but no users are required, enabling direct repository changes that bypass the configured push restriction.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.92%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authorization in GitLab allows remote authenticated users to push to protected branches restricted to deploy keys. The protected-branch push authorization path treats an allowed deploy key as permission for a Maintainer's user push instead of requiring that push to use the key. A Maintainer account and a branch configured to allow a deploy key but no users are required, enabling direct repository changes that bypass the configured push restriction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22226
Published
Jul 6, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab
Classifications
T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 6, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=>=13.12, <13.12.6
  2. Affected versionversion=>=13.9, <13.11.6
  3. Affected versionversion=>=14.0, <14.0.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLabversion=>=13.12, <13.12.6; version=>=13.9, <13.11.6; version=>=14.0, <14.0.2

Published CVSS scores

4.9NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:N
6.5GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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

T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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