CVE-2018-1000417 in Email Extension Template Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
A cross-site request forgery vulnerability exists in Jenkins Email Extension Template Plugin 1.0 and earlier in ExtEmailTemplateManagement.java that allows creating or removing templates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1000417 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Jenkins Email Extension Template Plugin version 1.0 and earlier. This issue resides in the ExtEmailTemplateManagement.java component which handles template management operations within the Jenkins continuous integration platform. The vulnerability enables unauthorized users to manipulate email templates through crafted requests, potentially compromising the integrity and security of email communications within Jenkins environments.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms for requests originating from the ExtEmailTemplateManagement.java file. When users interact with the email template management functionality, the system fails to verify the authenticity of the request source, allowing attackers to forge requests that appear legitimate to the Jenkins server. This flaw operates under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, where the application does not adequately validate that requests originate from authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple template manipulation as it provides attackers with the capability to create malicious email templates or remove existing ones. This could lead to unauthorized email content distribution, potentially enabling phishing attacks, data exfiltration through crafted email notifications, or disruption of legitimate email communication processes within Jenkins environments. The compromised template functionality could also serve as a stepping stone for further attacks within the CI/CD pipeline.
Organizations utilizing Jenkins with the affected Email Extension Template Plugin face significant security risks, particularly in environments where Jenkins is accessible to untrusted users or where multiple users have varying levels of access permissions. The vulnerability particularly affects continuous integration systems where email notifications are critical for monitoring build statuses, security alerts, and operational communications. Attackers could exploit this weakness to inject malicious content into email templates, potentially affecting downstream systems that rely on these notifications.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading the Jenkins Email Extension Template Plugin to version 1.1 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should implement proper access controls and authentication measures within Jenkins environments to limit template management capabilities to authorized personnel only. Network segmentation and monitoring of template management operations can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which involves executing malicious code through command-line interfaces, and T1566.001, related to spearphishing attacks that could leverage compromised email templates for further infiltration.