CVE-2012-0324 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in CloudBees Jenkins before 1.454, Jenkins LTS before 1.424.5, and Jenkins Enterprise 1.400.x before 1.400.0.13 and 1.424.x before 1.424.5.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0325.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2017
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0324 affects CloudBees Jenkins continuous integration platform versions prior to specific patched releases including 1.454 for standard releases and 1.424.5 for long term support versions. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Jenkins web interface, allowing malicious actors to inject crafted payloads that persist in the application's user interface elements. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, creating an avenue for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the web application and its users.
This XSS vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that typically involve manipulating form inputs, URL parameters, or other user-controllable data fields within the Jenkins interface. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, which directly enables malicious script execution in the victim's browser context. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive credentials, redirect users to malicious websites, or execute unauthorized administrative commands within the Jenkins environment. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can be exploited to compromise the entire Jenkins instance, potentially allowing attackers to access build artifacts, source code repositories, and administrative functions that control the continuous integration pipeline. The attack surface includes various Jenkins components such as job configurations, build logs, and user management interfaces where user input is processed and displayed without adequate sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0324 is severe for organizations relying on Jenkins for automated build and deployment processes. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive build environments, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire software delivery pipeline. The vulnerability affects both standard Jenkins releases and enterprise versions, making it particularly concerning for organizations with extensive Jenkins deployments. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be accomplished through web-based attacks, making it accessible to attackers with basic web security knowledge. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content, and T1078.004 for legitimate credentials use, as attackers can leverage stolen session tokens or execute commands through compromised Jenkins instances.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Jenkins, specifically version 1.454 for standard releases and 1.424.5 for LTS versions, along with the corresponding enterprise patches. The upgrade process should include thorough testing to ensure compatibility with existing build configurations and plugins. Additional defensive measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, enabling Jenkins security features such as CSRF protection, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect suspicious activities related to XSS attempts. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures for rapid containment and remediation of any exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing comprehensive input validation strategies across all web applications to prevent similar security incidents in the future.