CVE-2014-3681 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in CloudBees Jenkins before 1.583 and LTS before 1.565.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3681 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting CloudBees Jenkins versions prior to 1.583 and LTS versions prior to 1.565.3. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw specifically enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Jenkins web application framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve user-controllable parameters or data fields within the Jenkins interface. These vectors may include build names, job configurations, user comments, or any other input fields that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability exists because the application fails to adequately escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code by web browsers, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be executed in the context of authenticated users' sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3681 is substantial and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with a powerful foothold within Jenkins environments that are typically considered trusted administrative systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could execute malicious scripts in the context of any user who views affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, or even complete system compromise if the affected user has administrative privileges. The attack surface is particularly concerning in continuous integration and deployment environments where Jenkins servers often contain sensitive build artifacts, source code repositories, and deployment credentials. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code through browser-based vectors.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of available security patches and updates to Jenkins versions 1.583 or higher for regular releases and 1.565.3 or higher for LTS versions. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices can serve as defensive measures, though they cannot replace the need for official patches. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious user activities and unusual script execution patterns within Jenkins environments. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and regularly reviewing application security configurations, as it demonstrates how even well-established platforms can contain critical flaws that persist across multiple versions without proper patch management protocols. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Jenkins servers, while also establishing robust security awareness training for users who interact with these systems.