CVE-2017-1000243 in Favorite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Jenkins Favorite Plugin 2.1.4 and older does not perform permission checks when changing favorite status, allowing any user to set any other user's favorites
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000243 affects the Jenkins Favorite Plugin version 2.1.4 and earlier, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security model of the Jenkins continuous integration platform. This issue stems from insufficient permission validation within the plugin's functionality, specifically when users attempt to modify favorite settings for other accounts. The flaw exists in the plugin's implementation where it fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses adequate privileges to alter another user's favorite configuration, creating a significant vector for unauthorized access and manipulation of user preferences.
The technical nature of this vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms within software applications. The flaw manifests as a lack of authentication checks during the favorite status modification process, allowing any authenticated user to manipulate favorite settings for arbitrary users within the Jenkins environment. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege, where users should only have access to resources and functions necessary for their specific roles. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, exploiting the trust model that exists between users and the plugin's API endpoints, enabling attackers to perform unauthorized modifications without proper authorization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple preference manipulation, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the Jenkins ecosystem. An attacker who gains access to a low-privilege account could leverage this flaw to modify other users' favorite configurations, potentially redirecting them to malicious resources or disrupting their workflow. This capability could serve as a stepping stone for further exploitation, allowing threat actors to establish persistence or gather intelligence about user activities and preferences. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Jenkins is used for collaborative development, as it undermines the trust relationships between users and their personalized workspace configurations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to system resources. The flaw enables attackers to maintain unauthorized access by manipulating user preferences and potentially using these modifications to mask their activities or create backdoors. Organizations using affected Jenkins versions face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments. The impact is exacerbated by the fact that Jenkins is widely used in enterprise environments for critical build and deployment processes, where unauthorized access to user configurations could lead to information disclosure or operational disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1000243 require immediate action to upgrade the Jenkins Favorite Plugin to version 2.1.5 or later, which includes the necessary permission checks. Organizations should also implement comprehensive access control reviews to ensure that user privileges are properly configured and monitored. Additional protective measures include enabling audit logging for favorite-related operations, conducting regular security assessments of Jenkins plugins, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to Jenkins environments. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary plugin functionalities and regularly updating all Jenkins components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated plugin to ensure that legitimate user functionality remains intact while addressing the authorization flaw.