CVE-2020-2250 in SoapUI Pro Functional Testing Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Jenkins SoapUI Pro Functional Testing Plugin 1.3 and earlier stores project passwords unencrypted in job config.xml files on the Jenkins controller where they can be viewed by attackers with Extended Read permission, or access to the Jenkins controller file system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2250 affects the Jenkins SoapUI Pro Functional Testing Plugin version 1.3 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk within continuous integration and deployment environments. This issue stems from the plugin's improper handling of sensitive authentication credentials, specifically project passwords that are stored in plain text format within the Jenkins controller's configuration files. The flaw represents a critical weakness in Jenkins' security architecture, as it allows unauthorized access to confidential information that should remain protected within the testing framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's configuration storage mechanism where authentication credentials are written to the job config.xml file without any form of encryption or obfuscation. When Jenkins processes test jobs that utilize SoapUI Pro functionality, the plugin serializes the project password directly into the XML configuration file, making it immediately accessible to any entity with sufficient privileges or system access. This design flaw creates a persistent security exposure that remains active until the vulnerable plugin version is updated or removed from the Jenkins environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Jenkins-based testing environments. Attackers with Extended Read permission can directly access the configuration files and extract project passwords, enabling them to impersonate legitimate users within the SoapUI testing framework. Additionally, if an attacker gains direct file system access to the Jenkins controller, they can immediately retrieve all stored passwords without requiring additional authentication mechanisms. This exposure affects not only the testing processes but also potentially compromises the broader security posture of systems that rely on these test environments for functional validation.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper encryption or lack of encryption in data storage. This weakness creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation and lateral movement within the Jenkins infrastructure, as compromised passwords can be used to access additional systems or services that share the same authentication credentials. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including credential access through file system access and privilege escalation via stored credentials.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Jenkins SoapUI Pro Functional Testing Plugin where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper credential encryption mechanisms. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive audits of all Jenkins controllers to identify and remediate any other plugins that may exhibit similar credential storage behaviors. Access controls should be strictly enforced to minimize the number of users with Extended Read permissions, while implementing additional monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts to configuration files. Regular security assessments should include verification that sensitive information is properly encrypted at rest within Jenkins environments, and that proper privilege separation is maintained across all system components.