CVE-2025-4278: 
GitLab vulnerability analysis and mitigation

A high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2025-4278) was discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting with 18.0 before 18.0.2. The vulnerability was reported through GitLab's HackerOne bug bounty program by security researcher joaxcar. This HTML injection vulnerability in the new search page could potentially lead to account takeover under certain conditions (GitLab Patch, NVD).

The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.7 (High), with the vector string: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N. It is classified under CWE-80 (Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page). The issue specifically involves HTML injection in the new search page functionality (GitLab Patch, NVD).

The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially achieve complete account takeover by injecting malicious code into the search page. Given GitLab's widespread use among organizations, including over half of Fortune 100 companies, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive source code, configuration files, and other critical development resources (Wiz).

GitLab has released security patches in versions 18.0.2, 17.11.4, and 17.10.8 for both Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). Organizations running self-managed GitLab instances are strongly advised to upgrade to the latest patched version immediately. GitLab.com is already running the patched version, and GitLab Dedicated customers do not need to take action (GitLab Patch).

The security community has responded with heightened concern due to the potential for account takeover and the widespread use of GitLab in enterprise environments. The vulnerability has garnered significant attention in cybersecurity circles, with multiple security platforms and researchers emphasizing the importance of immediate patching (Wiz).