CVE-2022-23112 in Publish Over SSH Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2022
A missing permission check in Jenkins Publish Over SSH Plugin 1.22 and earlier allows attackers with Overall/Read access to connect to an attacker-specified SSH server using attacker-specified credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23112 resides within the Jenkins Publish Over SSH Plugin version 1.22 and earlier, representing a critical permission bypass flaw that significantly undermines the security posture of Jenkins environments. This issue stems from an insufficient validation mechanism that fails to properly enforce access controls when establishing SSH connections through the plugin interface. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where the Publish Over SSH plugin is installed and configured, creating a pathway for unauthorized users to potentially escalate their privileges or gain access to systems they should not be able to reach.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing permission check that allows authenticated users with only Overall/Read access rights to initiate SSH connections to arbitrary servers using credentials specified by the attacker. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the plugin's authorization logic. The vulnerability operates by bypassing the normal permission validation that should occur when users attempt to establish SSH connections, effectively allowing read-only users to perform actions typically restricted to administrators or users with higher privileges. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of SSH connection parameters and does not require elevated privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have varying levels of access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands on target SSH servers, exfiltrate sensitive data, or establish persistent access points within the network. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to connect to internal systems that are not directly exposed to the internet, using the Jenkins server as a pivot point for further reconnaissance and lateral movement. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation hub and where the Publish Over SSH plugin is commonly used for deployment automation. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts, as it allows unauthorized access through legitimate authentication mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-23112 should prioritize immediate patching of the Jenkins Publish Over SSH plugin to version 1.23 or later, which contains the necessary permission checks to prevent unauthorized SSH connections. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including restricting access to the Jenkins web interface through network segmentation, enforcing strict firewall rules, and monitoring for unusual SSH connection patterns. The remediation process must include comprehensive review of existing Jenkins configurations to ensure that only authorized users have the ability to configure SSH connections, and that proper role-based access controls are enforced throughout the system. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts and establish baseline behavior for SSH connections to identify anomalous activities that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.