GitLab is a widely used DevOps platform; this flaw lets authenticated Developers bypass protected-branch controls and run pipelines, posing supply-chain and code-execution risks across organizations.
CVE-2026-16301
Authenticated Developers can run CI/CD pipelines on protected branches
Is CVE-2026-16301 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-16301 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-16301?
CVE-2026-16301 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.5. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16301?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-16301. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-16301 affect?
CVE-2026-16301 affects GitLab CE/EE 18.7 before 19.2.8, GitLab CE/EE 19.3 before 19.3.5, GitLab CE/EE 19.4 before 19.4.2. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-16301?
Upgrade GitLab to the fixed versions immediately or restrict Developer pipeline permissions.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Authenticated Developer role can execute pipelines on protected branches, enabling unauthorized code execution, secret exposure, and supply-chain compromise.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 18.7 and < 19.2.8
- affected>= 19.3 and < 19.3.5
- affected>= 19.4 and < 19.4.2
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.