CVE-2025-5101Public exploit

Malicious code distribution via branch-tag ambiguity

Published Aug 27, 2025 · Updated Aug 27, 2025

Code injection in affected GitLab CE/EE releases allows remote authenticated users to distribute deceptive code through repository imports. Repository import accepts a default branch and tag with the same name, so the web interface renders branch content while downloads resolve to the tag. Project-import access and victim execution of downloaded content are required; the attacker gains code execution on the victim system.

CVSS severity5.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in affected GitLab CE/EE releases allows remote authenticated users to distribute deceptive code through repository imports. Repository import accepts a default branch and tag with the same name, so the web interface renders branch content while downloads resolve to the tag. Project-import access and victim execution of downloaded content are required; the attacker gains code execution on the victim system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-5101
Published
Aug 27, 2025
Updated
Aug 27, 2025
Vendor
GitLab
Product
GitLab
Classifications
CWE-94, T1204.002
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 27, 2025Record 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=0 <18.1.5
  2. Affected versionversion=18.2 <18.2.5
  3. Affected versionversion=18.3 <18.3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GitLab · GitLabversion=0 <18.1.5; version=18.2 <18.2.5; version=18.3 <18.3.1

Published CVSS scores

5.0GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1204.002Malicious File

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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