CVE-2020-2173 in Gatling Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Jenkins Gatling Plugin 1.2.7 and earlier prevents Content-Security-Policy headers from being set for Gatling reports served by the plugin, resulting in an XSS vulnerability exploitable by users able to change report content.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2020
The Jenkins Gatling Plugin vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2173 represents a critical security flaw in versions 1.2.7 and earlier that undermines the security posture of continuous integration environments relying on Gatling performance testing reports. This vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly implement Content-Security-Policy headers when serving Gatling reports, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the report pages. The issue specifically affects users who possess the ability to modify report content, as this privilege enables them to craft malicious inputs that can be executed within the context of the report viewer's browser session.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the plugin's inadequate handling of HTTP response headers, particularly the absence of Content-Security-Policy directives that are essential for preventing cross-site scripting attacks. When Jenkins serves Gatling reports through this vulnerable plugin, the response headers do not include proper CSP policies that would normally restrict the execution of inline scripts and other potentially dangerous content. This omission creates a pathway for attackers who can influence report generation to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser when they view the compromised reports. The vulnerability manifests as a classic XSS flaw that aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code injection, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate their privileges within the Jenkins environment. An attacker who can modify report content can craft payloads that steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute commands on behalf of the Jenkins user. This represents a significant concern for organizations that rely on Jenkins for automated testing and deployment processes, as compromised reports could serve as a foothold for more extensive attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges, specifically the ability to modify report content, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have varying levels of access to the testing infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Jenkins Gatling Plugin version 1.2.8 or later, which includes the necessary fixes to properly implement Content-Security-Policy headers for all generated reports. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level mitigations such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious JavaScript payloads in HTTP responses. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1211, which covers privilege escalation through malicious content injection, and should be monitored as part of broader security operations. Regular security audits of Jenkins plugins and their configurations should include verification of proper header implementation to prevent similar issues from arising in other components of the continuous integration pipeline.