CVE-2013-0331 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
CloudBees Jenkins before 1.502 and LTS before 1.480.3 allows remote authenticated users with write access to cause a denial of service via a crafted payload.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0331 represents a significant security flaw in CloudBees Jenkins continuous integration platform that affects versions prior to 1.502 and LTS versions prior to 1.480.3. This issue specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms within Jenkins, creating a pathway for malicious actors who possess write access to the system to execute denial of service attacks. The vulnerability operates through a crafted payload that exploits weaknesses in how Jenkins processes certain inputs, ultimately leading to system instability and service unavailability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within Jenkins' core processing functions. When authenticated users with write privileges submit specifically crafted payloads, the system fails to properly handle these inputs, causing unexpected behavior that results in resource exhaustion or process termination. This flaw falls under the category of improper input validation as classified by CWE-20, which is a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious data to disrupt normal application operation. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only write access, which is often more readily available than administrative privileges in many development environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0331 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise the continuous integration workflow that organizations depend upon for software development and deployment. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause Jenkins servers to become unresponsive, halt build processes, and potentially corrupt job configurations. The denial of service effect can persist until manual intervention occurs, requiring system administrators to restart services or even reinstall the software. This disruption directly impacts development cycles, potentially delaying software releases and creating bottlenecks in the software development lifecycle. Organizations relying on Jenkins for automated testing and deployment pipelines face significant operational risks when this vulnerability exists in their environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0331 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of Jenkins. System administrators should prioritize upgrading to Jenkins version 1.502 or LTS version 1.480.3, which contain the necessary security patches to address the input validation flaws. Additionally, implementing network-level restrictions and access controls can help limit the potential impact by reducing the number of users with write privileges to critical Jenkins components. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in job execution and system resource consumption that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and denial of service, making it a critical concern for organizations following the MITRE ATT&CK framework for threat analysis and defense planning. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across their Jenkins infrastructure.