CVE-2021-22230Network attack vector

Malicious code submission via improper merge-request rendering

Published Jul 7, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper output encoding in GitLab CE/EE allows remote authenticated users to submit malicious code through merge requests. Affected releases are 9.3 and later before 13.11.6, 13.12.0 through 13.12.5, and 14.0.0 through 14.0.1; GitLab has not published the affected renderer or unsafe encoding operation. Exploitation requires high GitLab privileges and affects integrity; the vendor reports no confidentiality or availability impact.

CVSS severity4.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.97%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper output encoding in GitLab CE/EE allows remote authenticated users to submit malicious code through merge requests. Affected releases are 9.3 and later before 13.11.6, 13.12.0 through 13.12.5, and 14.0.0 through 14.0.1; GitLab has not published the affected renderer or unsafe encoding operation. Exploitation requires high GitLab privileges and affects integrity; the vendor reports no confidentiality or availability impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22230
Published
Jul 7, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 7, 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

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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=>=13.12, <13.12.6
  2. Affected versionversion=>=14.0, <14.0.2
  3. Affected versionversion=>=9.3, <13.11.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLabversion=>=13.12, <13.12.6; version=>=14.0, <14.0.2; version=>=9.3, <13.11.6

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.9GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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