CVE-2021-22205: GitLab exploited

Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.

What it is

An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting from 11.9. GitLab was not properly validating image files that were passed to a file parser which resulted in a remote command execution.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by GitLab, published 2021-04-23).

Weakness: CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code (‘Code Injection’)

How it can be exploited

Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: yes. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since: 2021-11-03
US federal deadline: 2021-11-17
Ransomware use: Yes

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2021-05738, CNNVD-202104-1685, EDB-50532, EUVD-2021-9351, GHSA-vgp2-3hxm-6x85

VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:BRIANDBUFFALO

Exploit Observer links 49 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.

Exploit code and modules (49)

Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.

Exploit-DB: https://www.exploit-db.com/raw/50532
Nuclei template: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/main/http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-22205.yaml
Code repository: https://github.com/ahmad4fifz/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/akbanner/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/al4xs/cve-2021-22205-gitlab
Code repository: https://github.com/antx-code/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/asdaweee/gitlabrcecve-2021-22205-gui
Code repository: https://github.com/c0okb/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/cc3305/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/ccordeiro/cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/cyberctf/vulhub-gitlab-cve-2021-22205
Code repository: https://github.com/devdanqtuan/cve-2021-22205
and 37 more

Research and write-ups (3)

Research or write-up: https://discuss.rapid7.com/t/gitlab-cve-2021-22205-remote-check/8001
Research or write-up: https://security.archlinux.org/CVE-2021-22205
Research or write-up: https://www.rapid7.com/db/vulnerabilities/gitlab-cve-2021-22205

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (13)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2021-9351
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-vgp2-3hxm-6x85
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/UBUNTU-CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/UBUNTU-CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-22205
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnnvd.org.cn/home/globalSearch?keyword=CNNVD-202104-1685
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-22205
and 1 more

137 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS: 0.997
very likely to be attacked soon
VEDAS: 0.981
strong exploit evidence
On CISA KEV: Yes, since 2021-11-03
Detection rule: Nuclei · Suricata

EPSS (chance of attack)

VEDAS (exploit evidence)

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish.

Who is affected

Product	Affected	Not affected
GitLab GitLab	version >=11.9, <13.8.8 version >=13.9, <13.9.6 version >=13.10, <13.10.3	Not stated

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

Exploit Observer also maps it to: gitlab gitlab, gitlab_inc. gitlab.

How to fix it

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Vendor guidance:

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22205

How to detect it

Nuclei template (active check)

GitLab - Code Injection
An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting from 11.9. GitLab was not properly validating image files that were passed to a file parser which resulted in a remote command execution.

Name and description quoted from the template, written by VEDAS.

The template sends 1 request (GET /users/sign_in); it decides using regex, word matchers. Severity in the template: critical. Marked as not yet verified against a live vulnerable target.

Run it against a host you own or are authorised to test:

bash

nuclei -u https://your-host -t CVE-2021-22205.yaml

Show the template (127 lines)

yaml

id: CVE-2021-22205

info:
  name: "GitLab - Code Injection"
  author: vedas-arpsyndicate
  severity: critical
  description: |
    An issue has been discovered in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions starting from 11.9. GitLab was not
    properly validating image files that were passed to a file parser which resulted in a remote command
    execution.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2021-22205&match=exact
    - https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=gitlab&match=exact
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 10
    cve-id: CVE-2021-22205
    cwe-id: CWE-94
  metadata:
    verified: false
  tags: cve2021,cve,kev,gitlab,rce,vkev,vuln
http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{{BaseURL}}/users/sign_in"

    host-redirects: true
    max-redirects: 3
    matchers:
      - type: word
        words:
          - "015d088713b23c749d8be0118caeb21039491d9812c75c913f48d53559ab09df"
          - "02aa9533ec4957bb01d206d6eaa51d762c7b7396362f0f7a3b5fb4dd6088745b"
          - "051048a171ccf14f73419f46d3bd8204aa3ed585a72924faea0192f53d42cfce"
          - "08858ced0ff83694fb12cf155f6d6bf450dcaae7192ea3de8383966993724290"
          - "0993beabc8d2bb9e3b8d12d24989426b909921e20e9c6a704de7a5f1dfa93c59"
          - "0a5b4edebfcb0a7be64edc06af410a6fbc6e3a65b76592a9f2bcc9afea7eb753"
          - "1084266bd81c697b5268b47c76565aa86b821126a6b9fe6ea7b50f64971fc96f"
          - "14c313ae08665f7ac748daef8a70010d2ea9b52fd0cae594ffa1ffa5d19c43f4"
          - "1626b2999241b5a658bddd1446648ed0b9cc289de4cc6e10f60b39681a0683c4"
          - "20f01320ba570c73e01af1a2ceb42987bcb7ac213cc585c187bec2370cf72eb6"
          - "27d2c4c4e2fcf6e589e3e1fe85723537333b087003aa4c1d2abcf74d5c899959"
          - "292ca64c0c109481b0855aea6b883a588bd293c6807e9493fc3af5a16f37f369"
          - "2eaf7e76aa55726cc0419f604e58ee73c5578c02c9e21fdbe7ae887925ea92ae"
          - "30a9dffe86b597151eff49443097496f0d1014bb6695a2f69a7c97dc1c27828f"
          - "318ee33e5d14035b04832fa07c492cdf57788adda50bb5219ef75b735cbf00e2"
          - "33313f1ff2602ef43d945e57e694e747eb00344455ddb9b2544491a3af2696a1"
          - "335f8ed58266e502d415f231f6675a32bb35cafcbaa279baa2c0400d4a9872ac"
          - "34031b465d912c7d03e815c7cfaff77a3fa7a9c84671bb663026d36b1acd3f86"
          - "3407a4fd892e9d5024f3096605eb1e25cad75a8bf847d26740a1e6a77e45b087"
          - "340c31a75c5150c5e501ec143849adbed26fed0da5a5ee8c60fb928009ea3b86"
          - "38981e26a24308976f3a29d6e5e2beef57c7acda3ad0d5e7f6f149d58fd09d3d"
          - "3963d28a20085f0725884e2dbf9b5c62300718aa9c6b4b696c842a3f4cf75fcd"
          - "39b154eeefef684cb6d56db45d315f8e9bf1b2cc86cf24d8131c674521f5b514"
          - "39fdbd63424a09b5b065a6cc60c9267d3f49950bf1f1a7fd276fe1ece4a35c09"
          - "3b51a43178df8b4db108a20e93a428a889c20a9ed5f41067d1a2e8224740838e"
          - "3cbf1ae156fa85f16d4ca01321e0965db8cfb9239404aaf52c3cebfc5b4493fb"
          - "40d8ac21e0e120f517fbc9a798ecb5caeef5182e01b7e7997aac30213ef367b3"
          - "4448d19024d3be03b5ba550b5b02d27f41c4bdba4db950f6f0e7136d820cd9e1"
          - "450cbe5102fb0f634c533051d2631578c8a6bae2c4ef1c2e50d4bfd090ce3b54"
          - "455d114267e5992b858fb725de1c1ddb83862890fe54436ffea5ff2d2f72edc8"
          - "4568941e60dbfda3472e3f745cd4287172d4e6cce44bed85390af9e4e2112d0b"
          - "45b2cf643afd34888294a073bf55717ea00860d6a1dca3d301ded1d0040cac44"
          - "473ef436c59830298a2424616d002865f17bb5a6e0334d3627affa352a4fc117"
          - "4990bb27037f3d5f1bffc0625162173ad8043166a1ae5c8505aabe6384935ce2"
          - "4a081f9e3a60a0e580cad484d66fbf5a1505ad313280e96728729069f87f856e"
          - "4abc4e078df94075056919bd59aed6e7a0f95067039a8339b8f614924d8cb160"
          - "504940239aafa3b3a7b49e592e06a0956ecaab8dbd4a5ea3a8ffd920b85d42eb"
          - "52560ba2603619d2ff1447002a60dcb62c7c957451fb820f1894e1ce7c23821c"
          - "530a8dd34c18ca91a31fbae2f41d4e66e253db0343681b3c9640766bf70d8edf"
          - "5440e2dd89d3c803295cc924699c93eb762e75d42178eb3fe8b42a5093075c71"
          - "62e4cc014d9d96f9cbf443186289ffd9c41bdfe951565324891dcf38bcca5a51"
          - "64e10bc92a379103a268a90a7863903eacb56843d8990fff8410f9f109c3b87a"
          - "655ad8aea57bdaaad10ff208c7f7aa88c9af89a834c0041ffc18c928cc3eab1f"
          - "67ac5da9c95d82e894c9efe975335f9e8bdae64967f33652cd9a97b5449216d2"
          - "69a1b8e44ba8b277e3c93911be41b0f588ac7275b91a184c6a3f448550ca28ca"
          - "6ae610d783ba9a520b82263f49d2907a52090fecb3ac37819cea12b67e6d94fb"
          - "70ce56efa7e602d4b127087b0eca064681ecdd49b57d86665da8b081da39408b"
          - "7310c45f08c5414036292b0c4026f281a73cf8a01af82a81257dd343f378bbb5"
          - "73a21594461cbc9a2fb00fc6f94aec1a33ccf435a7d008d764ddd0482e08fc8d"
          - "77566acc818458515231d0a82c131a42890d771ea998b9f578dc38e0eb7e517f"
          - "78812856e55613c6803ecb31cc1864b7555bf7f0126d1dfa6f37376d37d3aeab"
          - "79837fd1939f90d58cc5a842a81120e8cecbc03484362e88081ebf3b7e3830e9"
          - "7b1dcbacca4f585e2cb98f0d48f008acfec617e473ba4fd88de36b946570b8b9"
          - "7f1c7b2bfaa6152740d453804e7aa380077636cad101005ed85e70990ec20ec5"
          - "81c5f2c7b2c0b0abaeb59585f36904031c21b1702c24349404df52834fbd7ad3"
          - "83dc10f687305b22e602ba806619628a90bd4d89be7c626176a0efec173ecff1"
          - "93ebf32a4bd988b808c2329308847edd77e752b38becc995970079a6d586c39b"
          - "969119f639d0837f445a10ced20d3a82d2ea69d682a4e74f39a48a4e7b443d5e"
          - "9b4e140fad97320405244676f1a329679808e02c854077f73422bd8b7797476b"
          - "9c095c833db4364caae1659f4e4dcb78da3b5ec5e9a507154832126b0fe0f08e"
          - "a0c92bafde7d93e87af3bc2797125cba613018240a9f5305ff949be8a1b16528"
          - "a9308f85e95b00007892d451fd9f6beabcd8792b4c5f8cd7524ba7e941d479c9"
          - "ac9b38e86b6c87bf8db038ae23da3a5f17a6c391b3a54ad1e727136141a7d4f5"
          - "ae0edd232df6f579e19ea52115d35977f8bdbfa9958e0aef2221d62f3a39e7d8"
          - "aeddf31361633b3d1196c6483f25c484855e0f243e7f7e62686a4de9e10ec03b"
          - "b50bfeb87fe7bb245b31a0423ccfd866ca974bc5943e568ce47efb4cd221d711"
          - "b64a1277a08c2901915525143cd0b62d81a37de0a64ec135800f519cb0836445"
          - "bb1565ffd7c937bea412482ed9136c6057be50356f1f901379586989b4dfe2ca"
          - "be9a23d3021354ec649bc823b23eab01ed235a4eb730fd2f4f7cdb2a6dee453a"
          - "bec9544b57b8b2b515e855779735ad31c3eacf65d615b4bfbd574549735111e7"
          - "bf1ba5d5d3395adc5bad6f17cc3cb21b3fb29d3e3471a5b260e0bc5ec7a57bc4"
          - "bf1c397958ee5114e8f1dadc98fa9c9d7ddb031a4c3c030fa00c315384456218"
          - "c8d8d30d89b00098edab024579a3f3c0df2613a29ebcd57cdb9a9062675558e4"
          - "c923fa3e71e104d50615978c1ab9fcfccfcbada9e8df638fc27bf4d4eb72d78c"
          - "d0850f616c5b4f09a7ff319701bce0460ffc17ca0349ad2cf7808b868688cf71"
          - "d161b6e25db66456f8e0603de5132d1ff90f9388d0a0305d2d073a67fd229ddb"
          - "d56f0577fbbbd6f159e9be00b274270cb25b60a7809871a6a572783b533f5a3c"
          - "d812b9bf6957fafe35951054b9efc5be6b10c204c127aa5a048506218c34e40f"
          - "dc6b3e9c0fad345e7c45a569f4c34c3e94730c33743ae8ca055aa6669ad6ac56"
          - "def1880ada798c68ee010ba2193f53a2c65a8981871a634ae7e18ccdcd503fa3"
          - "e2578590390a9eb10cd65d130e36503fccb40b3921c65c160bb06943b2e3751a"
          - "e4b6f040fe2e04c86ed1f969fc72710a844fe30c3501b868cb519d98d1fe3fd0"
          - "eb078ffe61726e3898dc9d01ea7955809778bde5be3677d907cbd3b48854e687"
          - "ec9dfedd7bd44754668b208858a31b83489d5474f7606294f6cc0128bb218c6d"
          - "ed4780bb05c30e3c145419d06ad0ab3f48bd3004a90fb99601f40c5b6e1d90fd"
          - "ef53a4f4523a4a0499fb892d9fb5ddb89318538fef33a74ce0bf54d25777ea83"
          - "f154ef27cf0f1383ba4ca59531058312b44c84d40938bc8758827023db472812"
          - "f7d1309f3caef67cb63bd114c85e73b323a97d145ceca7d6ef3c1c010078c649"
          - "f9ab217549b223c55fa310f2007a8f5685f9596c579f5c5526e7dcb204ba0e11"
        condition: or

    extractors:
      - type: regex
        group: 1
        regex:
          - '(?:application-)(\S{64})(?:\.css)'

CVE-2021-22205.yaml on GitHub

Suricata rules (network detection)

1 rule that alert on traffic matching this exploit: VEDAS CVE-2021-22205 GitLab - Code Injection. Add them to your Suricata rule set and reload.

Show the rules

suricata

alert http $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HTTP_SERVERS $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"VEDAS CVE-2021-22205 GitLab - Code Injection"; flow:established,to_server; http.uri; content:"/users/sign_in"; nocase; fast_pattern; classtype:web-application-attack; reference:cve,CVE-2021-22205; reference:url,https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2021-22205&match=exact; reference:url,https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=gitlab&match=exact; sid:1010775; rev:1;)

CVE-2021-22205.rules on GitHub

Advisories on this CVE

Joint advisory AA26-281A: Chinese “Integrity Technology Group” enabled actors (8 Oct 2026)

References

Government sources

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-22205 (government-resource)

Other references

https://hackerone.com/reports/1154542 (x_refsource_MISC)
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/327121 (x_refsource_MISC)
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cves/-/blob/master/2021/CVE-2021-22205.json (x_refsource_CONFIRM)
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164768/GitLab-Unauthenticated-Remote-ExifTool-Command-Injection.html (x_refsource_MISC)
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164994/GitLab-13.10.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html (x_refsource_MISC)

Other databases

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer, vedas-signatures. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.