CVE-2025-14869 describes a denial-of-service vulnerability discovered in GitLab Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). This flaw allows an unauthenticated user to trigger a DoS condition by exploiting specific API endpoints with specially crafted payloads. The vulnerability impacts versions 18.5.0 through 18.11.3 and is resolved in version 18.11.3.
Impact and Attack Scenarios
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-14869 can lead to a denial-of-service condition, rendering affected GitLab instances unavailable to legitimate users. An attacker could repeatedly send malicious payloads, overwhelming the server's resources and causing it to crash or become unresponsive. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption; prolonged DoS attacks can hinder critical development workflows, impact CI/CD pipelines, and potentially lead to data loss if recovery is delayed. While the vulnerability requires no authentication, the attacker needs to be able to reach the targeted API endpoints, which might be restricted by firewalls or network configurations.
Exploitation Context
CVE-2025-14869 was published on 2026-05-14. The vulnerability's impact is considered high due to the potential for widespread service disruption. No public exploits or active campaigns have been reported at the time of writing. The vulnerability is not currently listed on KEV or EPSS, suggesting a low probability of immediate exploitation, but proactive patching is still recommended.
Threat Intelligence
Exploit Status
CVSS Vector
What do these metrics mean?
- Attack Vector
- Network — remotely exploitable over the internet. No physical or local access required. Widest attack surface.
- Attack Complexity
- Low — no special conditions required. Attacker can exploit reliably without depending on rare configurations or timing.
- Privileges Required
- None — unauthenticated. No login or credentials needed to exploit.
- User Interaction
- None — attack is automatic and silent. Victim does nothing: no click, no file open.
- Scope
- Unchanged — impact is limited to the vulnerable component itself.
- Confidentiality
- None — no confidentiality impact. Attacker cannot read protected data.
- Integrity
- None — no integrity impact. Attacker cannot modify data.
- Availability
- High — complete crash or resource exhaustion. Full denial of service.
Affected Software
Weakness Classification (CWE)
Timeline
- Reserved
- Published
Mitigation and Workarounds
The primary mitigation for CVE-2025-14869 is to upgrade GitLab to version 18.11.3 or later. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, consider implementing rate limiting on the affected API endpoints to restrict the number of requests from a single source within a given timeframe. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block malicious payloads targeting API endpoints can also provide a temporary layer of protection. Review GitLab's network configuration to ensure only authorized traffic can access the API endpoints.
How to fix
Actualice GitLab a la versión 18.9.7 o superior, 18.10.6 o superior, o 18.11.3 o superior para mitigar la vulnerabilidad. Esta actualización corrige una falla de validación de cantidad en ciertos puntos finales de la API que podría permitir a un usuario no autenticado causar una denegación de servicio.
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2025-14869 — DoS in GitLab?
CVE-2025-14869 is a denial-of-service vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE allowing unauthenticated users to disrupt service by sending crafted payloads to specific API endpoints. It affects versions 18.5.0–18.11.3 and is rated HIGH severity.
Am I affected by CVE-2025-14869 in GitLab?
You are affected if you are running GitLab CE/EE versions 18.5.0 through 18.11.3. Upgrade to 18.11.3 or later to mitigate the risk.
How do I fix CVE-2025-14869 in GitLab?
The recommended fix is to upgrade GitLab to version 18.11.3 or a later version. As a temporary workaround, implement rate limiting on affected API endpoints.
Is CVE-2025-14869 being actively exploited?
Currently, there are no reports of CVE-2025-14869 being actively exploited, but proactive patching is still recommended to prevent potential future attacks.
Where can I find the official GitLab advisory for CVE-2025-14869?
Refer to the official GitLab security advisory for CVE-2025-14869 on the GitLab website: [https://gitlab.com/security/advisories/](https://gitlab.com/security/advisories/)
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