CVE-2020-2268 in MongoDB Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
A cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Jenkins MongoDB Plugin 1.3 and earlier allows attackers to gain access to some metadata of any arbitrary files on the Jenkins controller.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2020
The CVE-2020-2268 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Jenkins MongoDB Plugin version 1.3 and earlier releases. This vulnerability exists at the intersection of web application security and database interaction mechanisms, creating a significant risk for Jenkins environments that utilize MongoDB plugin functionality. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted requests that exploit the lack of proper CSRF protection mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets the metadata retrieval functionality of the plugin, allowing unauthorized access to file information that should remain protected within the Jenkins controller environment.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of anti-CSRF tokens in the plugin's web endpoints. When Jenkins processes requests related to MongoDB operations, particularly those involving file metadata retrieval, the system fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate authenticated sessions. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability operates through the standard CSRF attack vector where an attacker can trick a victim's browser into executing unauthorized actions against the Jenkins server. The MongoDB plugin's interface exposes endpoints that handle file metadata queries without proper CSRF protection, creating a window for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to metadata that could reveal sensitive information about the Jenkins environment and its file structure. This metadata access enables attackers to understand the internal organization of files, potentially identifying sensitive configuration files, build artifacts, or other resources that could aid in further exploitation. The vulnerability affects any Jenkins instance running the affected MongoDB plugin version, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation platform. Attackers could leverage this information to plan more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation or exploitation of other vulnerabilities within the Jenkins ecosystem.
Security mitigations for CVE-2020-2268 primarily involve upgrading to a patched version of the Jenkins MongoDB Plugin, as the vulnerability was resolved in versions later than 1.3. Organizations should also implement comprehensive CSRF protection measures across their Jenkins installations, ensuring that all web endpoints require proper validation of request origins and implement anti-CSRF tokens. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing, as attackers would need to leverage legitimate user sessions to execute the CSRF attacks effectively. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections, such as web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious request patterns, to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of Jenkins plugins and their configurations remain essential for maintaining secure automation environments.