CVE-2021-22205
CVE-2021-22205 is a security flaw in GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions, software teams use to store and build code. Attackers can run their own code on GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. GitLab has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a remote code execution in GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions. In its words: “GitHub Community and Enterprise Editions that utilize the ability to upload images through GitLab Workhorse are vulnerable to remote code execution. Workhorse passes image file extensions through ExifTool, which improperly validates the image files.”[1]
The underlying weakness is improper input validation (CWE-20), CWE-95, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 10.0 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; GitLab’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions.
Most families won’t have GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 194 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 17 Nov 2021 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
GitLab has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 17 Nov 2021 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 10.0.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[4] |
See also
Other GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions flaws
- CVE-2021-39935: server-side request forgery (SSRF) ·
Other GitLab flaws
- CVE-2026-97229, GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition: integer overflow or wraparound ·
- CVE-2026-85706, GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-22175, GitLab: server-side request forgery (SSRF) ·
- CVE-2023-7028, GitLab CE/EE: community and enterprise editions improper access control ·
Other improper input validation flaws
- CVE-2026-93952, Arista VeloCloud Orchestrator: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2019-1068, Microsoft SQL Server: remote code execution ·
- CVE-2026-12569, PTC Windchill and FlexPLM: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2026-34910, Ubiquiti UniFi OS: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2026-6973, Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM): improper input validation ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
- CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·
Every GitLab flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “GitLab Community and Enterprise Editions Remote Code Execution Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2021-22205 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 23 Apr 2021.
- ^ GitLab. Advisories and fixes: gitlab.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.997, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2021-22205”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.