PatchTheCEVCVE-2026-85706: GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition Path Traversal Vulnerability
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CRITICAL 10.0EXPLOITEDREMOTEUPGRADE
CVE-2026-85706 is a critical-severity flaw (CVSS 10.0) affecting gitlab, reported as exploited in the wild. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions from 18.7 before 18.11.12, 19.0 before 19.0.9, 19.1 before 19.1.8, 19.2 before 19.2.6, and 19.3 before 19.3.2 that, under certain conditions, an unauthenticated user could have read arbitrary files from the GitLab server due to improper path confinement and missing authentication enforcement in the repository commits API.
Why this priority
- Critical severity
- EPSS top 1%: very likely to be exploited
- Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV)
- Public exploit reference
- CISA SSVC: automatable with total technical impact
- Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action
A fixed release or distro patch exists.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 10.0 (Critical) |
| Attack vector | Network (remote) |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges needed | None |
| User interaction | None |
| EPSS exploit chance | 92.0% (top 1%) |
| CISA exploited list | Yes, fix due 2026-09-14 |
| Weakness | CWE-22 |
| Published | 2026-09-12 |
| Last modified | 2026-09-24 |
Publisher (CNA): GitLab Inc. · Vendor: gitlab
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Exploited Added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list
- Published CVE record published
- Deadline CISA due date for US federal agencies to patch
- Updated Record last modified
gitlab gitlab UPGRADE
Affected: >= 18.7.0 and < 18.11.12 · >= 19.0.0 and < 19.0.9 · >= 19.1.0 and < 19.1.8 · >= 19.2.0 and < 19.2.6 · >= 19.3.0 and < 19.3.2
Fixed in: 18.11.12, 19.0.9, 19.1.8, 19.2.6, 19.3.2
Safe to downgrade to: a release before 18.7.0
1. Check installed version
apt-cache policy gitlab || rpm -q gitlab || gitlab --version
2. UPGRADE to 18.11.12 (Debian / Ubuntu)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade gitlab
2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
sudo dnf upgrade gitlab
Note
Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.
3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE to a release before 18.7.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)
apt-cache madison gitlab
sudo apt install gitlab=<VERSION_BEFORE_18.7.0>
sudo apt-mark hold gitlab
3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
dnf --showduplicates list gitlab
sudo dnf downgrade gitlab-<VERSION_BEFORE_18.7.0>
sudo dnf versionlock add gitlab
Downgrade risk
Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.
After downgrade
Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.
Exact fixes by distribution
Fedora 46 · uv · FIXED · 0.13.5-1.fc46 · FEDORA-2026-61ea5a28c6 · source
sudo dnf upgrade --advisory=FEDORA-2026-61ea5a28c6
Public exploits and detection
Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.
- GitHub PoC: guneykabel/cve-2026-85706 (44 stars)
- GitHub PoC: EQSTLab/CVE-2026-85706 (29 stars)
- GitHub PoC: ynsmroztas/GitLabSniper (9 stars)
- Metasploit: GitLab Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Read
- Nuclei scan template: GitLab CE/EE <=19.1.7/19.2.5/19.3.1 - Arbitrary File Read
Advisories and coverage
Official advisories
- GitLab Security Releases: GitLab Critical Patch Release: 19.0.9, 18.11.12 2026-09-23
Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · CISA KEV catalog · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.