CVE-2021-39870Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated repository import via unenforced administrator setting

Published Oct 5, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper authorization in GitLab allows remote authenticated users to bypass disabled repository-by-URL imports with a crafted request. The project-creation endpoint accepts an import_url parameter without enforcing the instance-level Repo by URL import-source setting. A regular account with project-creation rights can create a project from a remote repository even when an administrator has disabled that import method.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.96%
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 bypass disabled repository-by-URL imports with a crafted request. The project-creation endpoint accepts an import_url parameter without enforcing the instance-level Repo by URL import-source setting. A regular account with project-creation rights can create a project from a remote repository even when an administrator has disabled that import method.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39870
Published
Oct 5, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 5, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=>=11.11, <14.1.7
  2. Affected versionversion=>=14.2, <14.2.5
  3. Affected versionversion=>=14.3, <14.3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLabversion=>=11.11, <14.1.7; version=>=14.2, <14.2.5; version=>=14.3, <14.3.1

Published CVSS scores

4.3GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
4.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

Public exploit references

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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