CVE-2022-20616 in Credentials Binding Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2022
Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin 1.27 and earlier does not perform a permission check in a method implementing form validation, allowing attackers with Overall/Read access to validate if a credential ID refers to a secret file credential and whether it's a zip file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20616 resides within the Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin version 1.27 and earlier, representing a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the security posture of Jenkins environments. This flaw manifests in the form validation method where proper permission checks are absent, creating a scenario where unprivileged users can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized information disclosure. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where the plugin is installed and configured, potentially exposing sensitive credential information to attackers who only possess Overall/Read access privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a missing permission validation check within the plugin's form validation logic. When users with minimal privileges attempt to validate credential IDs, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user has appropriate authorization to access the specific credential details. This oversight allows attackers to determine if a particular credential ID corresponds to a secret file credential and to identify whether that file is a zip archive. The flaw operates at the application level validation layer, bypassing the normal access control mechanisms that should prevent such information disclosure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for further exploitation. An attacker who can validate credential IDs and determine their file types can begin mapping the credential landscape within the Jenkins environment, identifying potential targets for more sophisticated attacks. This information can be used to craft targeted attacks against specific credential types or to determine which credentials might contain sensitive data. The vulnerability essentially creates a reconnaissance channel that allows threat actors to understand the credential structure without requiring elevated privileges.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a specific instance of insufficient permission checks in validation methods. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance, as it enables adversaries to gather information about available credentials without escalating their privileges. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as it shows how a single missing permission check can undermine broader security controls.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin version 1.28 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to address this authorization bypass. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring to detect unusual credential validation activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix typically involves adding proper permission checks to the validation methods, ensuring that only users with appropriate credentials can access the validation functionality. Regular security assessments of Jenkins plugins and configurations should be conducted to identify similar authorization gaps that might exist in other components of the system.