CVE-2012-4440 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) in Jenkins main before 1.482 and LTS before 1.466.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML in the Violations plugin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4440 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Jenkins continuous integration server versions prior to 1.482 and LTS versions before 1.466.2. This security weakness specifically impacts the Violations plugin, which is commonly used to track code quality metrics and violations within software development environments. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the Jenkins interface, potentially compromising the security of the entire build infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the Violations plugin's handling of user-provided data. When Jenkins processes violation reports or displays code quality metrics, the system fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This flaw falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into web pages. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the Jenkins environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to compromise the integrity of the entire Jenkins infrastructure. Attackers could craft malicious violation reports that, when displayed in the Jenkins UI, would execute scripts in the context of authenticated users. This could result in unauthorized access to build configurations, source code repositories, and sensitive build artifacts. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central hub for automated builds and deployments, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain deeper access to the development infrastructure. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 - Phishing and T1071.1 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as it exploits web application vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4440 primarily involve immediate patching of affected Jenkins installations to versions 1.482 or later for the main release and 1.466.2 for LTS versions. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including input validation for all user-provided data, regular security audits of plugins, and network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors. Security teams should consider implementing Content Security Policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, while monitoring for suspicious violation report submissions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in plugins can create significant security risks within complex software ecosystems. Organizations should also establish robust plugin management policies and regularly review the security posture of their Jenkins installations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.