CVE-2012-0325 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-2012-0324.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2017
The CVE-2012-0325 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple versions of CloudBees Jenkins and its associated enterprise distributions. This vulnerability exists within the web application framework of Jenkins, specifically in how it processes and renders user input within web pages. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, data theft, or complete session hijacking. The vulnerability affects Jenkins versions prior to 1.454 for standard releases, 1.424.5 for long term support releases, and specific enterprise versions including 1.400.0.13 and 1.424.5.1. Unlike CVE-2012-0324 which addressed similar concerns, this particular vulnerability exploited different attack vectors that were not fully covered by existing mitigations.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within Jenkins' web interface components. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious input that bypasses security mechanisms designed to prevent script execution. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied data is directly embedded into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding, creating opportunities for attackers to inject JavaScript code that executes in victims' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-site Scripting, specifically targeting the improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The attack surfaces likely include various user-facing forms, configuration pages, and any interface elements that accept and display user-provided content without adequate security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0325 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables sophisticated attack scenarios that can compromise entire Jenkins installations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands in the context of the victim's browser, potentially gaining access to sensitive build artifacts, credentials, or configuration data stored within the Jenkins environment. The attack can lead to privilege escalation if the victim has administrative access to the Jenkins instance, allowing full control over the build infrastructure. Additionally, the vulnerability can facilitate session hijacking attacks where attackers steal authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users. The persistent nature of XSS vulnerabilities means that malicious scripts can remain active until the page is refreshed or the browser is closed, providing attackers with extended access windows. Organizations using Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment processes face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited to compromise entire software development pipelines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0325 require immediate remediation through version upgrades to patched releases of Jenkins and its enterprise variants. Organizations must prioritize updating their Jenkins installations to versions 1.454 or later for standard releases, 1.424.5 for LTS versions, and appropriate enterprise versions. Beyond patching, administrators should implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all user-supplied content, and regular security audits of web applications. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution sources. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence regarding similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for Scripting, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through web-based interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security training for developers to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom plugins or extensions that may interact with the Jenkins core functionality.