CVE-2023-5512Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Client command execution via filename display confusion

Published Dec 15, 2023 · Updated Apr 28, 2026

Code injection in GitLab CE/EE allows remote authenticated users to disguise malicious repository files through encoded names. The web interface fails to additionally encode percent characters, so a name containing %2f displays content from another path and conceals the named file's code. Exploitation requires repository write access and a victim who trusts the misleading view, downloads the repository, and executes the concealed file, resulting in commands running on the victim system.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.49%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Code injection in GitLab CE/EE allows remote authenticated users to disguise malicious repository files through encoded names. The web interface fails to additionally encode percent characters, so a name containing %2f displays content from another path and conceals the named file's code. Exploitation requires repository write access and a victim who trusts the misleading view, downloads the repository, and executes the concealed file, resulting in commands running on the victim system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5512
Published
Dec 15, 2023
Updated
Apr 28, 2026
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab
Classifications
CWE-94, T1036
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 28, 2026Record 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=16.3 <16.4.4
  2. Affected versionversion=16.5 <16.5.4
  3. Affected versionversion=16.6 <16.6.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLabversion=16.3 <16.4.4; version=16.5 <16.5.4; version=16.6 <16.6.2

Published CVSS scores

4.8GitLabCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1036Masquerading

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo