GitLab urgently pushed patches Thursday for CVE-2026-85706, a maximum-severity path traversal flaw in the repository commits API that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from vulnerable servers. The bug, reported through GitLab’s HackerOne bug bounty program by a researcher known as “s3ntago,” stems from improper path confinement and missing authentication enforcement. Exploiting it requires only a single HTTP POST request to /api/v4/projects/{id}/repository/commits/ with a crafted file.path parameter — no login needed. The files an attacker can read include configuration files, environment variables, and stored credentials or secrets. GitLab has not confirmed active exploitation, but cybersecurity firm watchTowr reported within 24 hours that internet-wide probing for unpatched servers had already begun. “Based on recent GitLab vulnerabilities, we know the time until indiscriminate exploitation is likely not far away,” watchTowr warned, advising defenders to search logs for suspicious POST requests to the commits API endpoint.
GitLab also patched a second critical vulnerability in the same release: CVE-2026-87719, an insecure deserialization flaw in the GraphQL subscription serializer that lets authenticated users with Duo Chat access steal sensitive credentials and Advanced Search instance configurations. Fixed versions are 19.3.2, 19.2.6, and 19.1 for both Community Edition and Enterprise Edition. GitLab.com has already been updated; GitLab Dedicated customers are not affected. All self-managed administrators should apply the update immediately.
How to check if you’re affected
Affected versions are any self-managed GitLab CE or EE installation running versions older than 19.3.2, 19.2.6, or 19.1. To check your version, visit your GitLab instance at /help or run gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info on the server. GitLab.com is already patched and does not require action; GitLab Dedicated installations are similarly protected.