CVE-2014-2067 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in java/hudson/model/Cause.java in CloudBees Jenkins before 1.551 and LTS before 1.532.2 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a "remote cause note."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2067 represents a cross-site scripting weakness located within the CloudBees Jenkins continuous integration platform. This flaw exists in the java/hudson/model/Cause.java file and affects versions prior to 1.551 and Long Term Support releases before 1.532.2. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of remote cause notes, which are used to track and document the reasons behind build executions within the Jenkins environment. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Cause.java class. When Jenkins processes remote cause notes, it fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in web pages. This inadequate sanitization allows authenticated attackers with appropriate privileges to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code through the cause note field. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with access to the Jenkins system can potentially leverage this weakness against other users within the same environment. The attack vector operates through the web interface where cause notes are displayed, making it a classic server-side XSS vulnerability that can persist across multiple user sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the Jenkins environment. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute arbitrary commands on behalf of other users with access to the Jenkins system. This weakness particularly threatens organizations that rely heavily on Jenkins for automated builds and deployments, as compromised Jenkins instances could lead to unauthorized code execution, data theft, or disruption of continuous integration processes. The vulnerability also has implications for supply chain security, as compromised builds could potentially introduce malicious code into production environments. Organizations using Jenkins for enterprise-level CI/CD pipelines face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to build artifacts, credentials stored within Jenkins, or even to manipulate the build process itself.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2067 should focus on immediate patching of affected Jenkins installations to versions 1.551 or later for standard releases, and 1.532.2 or later for LTS versions. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all user-supplied data rendered in web contexts, and regular security auditing of Jenkins configurations. The principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, ensuring that only necessary users have access to modify cause notes or other vulnerable fields. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in cause note modifications, and organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection against XSS attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting languages, and T1566 which addresses credential access through various attack vectors, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat posed by this particular vulnerability.