CVE-2020-2263 in Radiator View Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Jenkins Radiator View Plugin 1.29 and earlier does not escape the full name of the jobs in tooltips, resulting in a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exploitable by attackers with Job/Configure permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2020
The Jenkins Radiator View Plugin vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2263 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that emerged in versions 1.29 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of job full names within tooltip elements, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by malicious actors who possess the Job/Configure permission level. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly innocuous user input processing can become a significant security risk when proper output escaping mechanisms are absent from the application's data rendering pipeline.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-provided job names when these identifiers are rendered in tooltip contexts. When administrators or users configure jobs with specially crafted names containing malicious script tags or other XSS payloads, the plugin fails to properly escape these values before incorporating them into HTML tooltip attributes. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that once a malicious job name is configured, the XSS payload becomes persistent and will execute whenever users interact with the tooltip, regardless of whether the attacker maintains active access to the system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, specifically focusing on the failure to properly escape data in web contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the Jenkins environment. An attacker with Job/Configure permissions can craft malicious job names that, when viewed by other users through the radiator view interface, execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session. This could enable session hijacking, privilege escalation, or the exfiltration of sensitive build information and credentials stored within the Jenkins environment. The attack surface is particularly concerning because Jenkins administrators often grant Job/Configure permissions to various team members, expanding the potential pool of compromised users. The vulnerability also intersects with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting through command-line interfaces, as the XSS payload could potentially be used to execute additional malicious commands or manipulate the Jenkins environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-2263 should prioritize immediate plugin version updates to 1.30 or later, which contain the necessary output escaping fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation for job names, regular security auditing of plugin configurations, and monitoring for suspicious job creation activities. Network segmentation and privilege minimization practices can reduce the impact of potential exploitation by limiting the scope of users who possess Job/Configure permissions. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies and regular penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other Jenkins plugins or custom configurations. The remediation process must include thorough testing of the updated plugin to ensure that existing functionality remains intact while the XSS vulnerability is properly addressed.