CVE-2016-3724 in Jenkins
Summary
by MITRE
CloudBees Jenkins before 2.3 and LTS before 1.651.2 allow remote authenticated users with extended read access to obtain sensitive password information by reading a job configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3724 represents a critical security flaw in CloudBees Jenkins versions prior to 2.3 and LTS versions before 1.651.2. This vulnerability exposes sensitive password information to authenticated users who possess extended read access permissions within the Jenkins environment. The flaw stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly restrict the visibility of credential data within job configurations, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the job configuration reading functionality within Jenkins. When authenticated users with extended read permissions attempt to access job configurations, the system does not properly sanitize or restrict the display of password fields and other sensitive credential information. This occurs because Jenkins fails to implement proper privilege separation between different types of user access levels, allowing users with read access to potentially extract credentials that should be restricted to administrators or specific authorized personnel. The vulnerability specifically affects the XML configuration parsing and rendering components where password fields are stored in plain text format without adequate obfuscation or access controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3724 extends beyond simple credential exposure, creating potential for privilege escalation and lateral movement within compromised environments. Attackers who gain extended read access through legitimate means can exploit this vulnerability to extract passwords for build scripts, deployment credentials, and integration tokens that may provide access to production systems, databases, and other critical infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically targeting improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized data exposure. The flaw can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1552 Credential Access, where adversaries obtain credentials through system vulnerabilities rather than direct attacks on authentication systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Jenkins versions 2.3 or LTS 1.651.2 and later, which contain proper access control patches. Administrators should also review and tighten user permission settings, ensuring that extended read access is granted only to trusted personnel with legitimate business requirements. Additional defensive measures include implementing automated credential rotation processes, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and conducting regular security audits of Jenkins configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper privilege management and access control implementation in CI/CD environments, where automated systems often contain credentials for multiple production environments and services.