• Enable authorization checks for all media files
• Delete uploaded files

User file uploads

In private or internal projects, GitLab restricts access to uploaded files (such as PDFs) to authenticated users only. By default, image files are not subject to the same restriction, and unauthenticated users can use the URL to view the file. If you enable authorization checks for all media files, images receive the same protection and are viewable only by authenticated users.

Users can upload files to issues, merge requests, or comments in a project. Direct URLs to these images in GitLab contain a random 32-character ID to help prevent unauthorized users from guessing image URLs. This randomization provides some protection if an image contains sensitive information.

Authentication checks for images can cause display issues in the body of notification emails. Emails are frequently read from clients (such as Outlook, Apple Mail, or your mobile device) not authenticated with GitLab. Images in emails appear broken and unavailable if the client is not authorized to GitLab.

Enable authorization checks for all media files

Non-image attachments (including PDFs) always require authentication to be viewed. You can use this setting to extend this protection to image files.

Prerequisite:

• You must have the Maintainer or Owner role for the project.
• Your project visibility settings must be Private or Internal.

To configure authentication settings for all media files:

1. On the top bar, select Main menu > Projects and find your project.
2. On the left sidebar, select Settings > General.
3. Expand Visibility, project features, permissions.
4. Scroll to Project visibility and select Require authentication to view media files. You cannot select this option for projects with Public visibility.

Delete uploaded files

You should delete an uploaded file when that file contains sensitive or confidential information. When you have deleted that file, users cannot access the file and the direct URL returns a 404 error.

Project Owners and Maintainers can use the interactive GraphiQL explorer to access a GraphQL endpoint and delete an uploaded file.

For example:

mutation{
  uploadDelete(input: { projectPath: "<path/to/project>", secret: "<32-character-id>" , filename: "<filename>" }) {
    upload {
      id
      size
      path
    }
    errors
  }
}

Project members that do not have the Owner or Maintainer role cannot access this GraphQL endpoint. <!– ## Troubleshooting

Include any troubleshooting steps that you can foresee. If you know beforehand what issues one might have when setting this up, or when something is changed, or on upgrading, it’s important to describe those, too. Think of things that may go wrong and include them here. This is important to minimize requests for support, and to avoid doc comments with questions that you know someone might ask.

Each scenario can be a third-level heading, for example ### Getting error message X. If you have none to add when creating a doc, leave this section in place but commented out to help encourage others to add to it in the future. –>