CVE-2022-23114 in Publish Over SSH Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2022
Jenkins Publish Over SSH Plugin 1.22 and earlier stores password unencrypted in its global configuration file on the Jenkins controller where it can be viewed by users with access to the Jenkins controller file system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23114 affects the Jenkins Publish Over SSH Plugin version 1.22 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through improper credential handling within the Jenkins continuous integration and delivery platform. This issue stems from the plugin's failure to encrypt sensitive authentication credentials when storing them in the global configuration file on the Jenkins controller system. The flaw allows unauthorized access to SSH passwords through direct file system access, creating a significant attack vector for privilege escalation and lateral movement within environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation hub.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's configuration storage mechanism, which persists unencrypted passwords in plaintext format within the Jenkins controller's file system. This design flaw directly violates security best practices for credential management and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) and specifically aligns with CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) within the CWE taxonomy. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain immediate access to SSH credentials for remote server deployments, potentially enabling them to execute arbitrary commands on target systems, establish persistent access, or escalate privileges within the infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-23114 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to leverage Jenkins as a launchpad for broader network infiltration. This vulnerability directly maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1078 (Valid Accounts), T1566 (Phishing), and T1021.004 (SSH). Organizations running affected Jenkins versions face potential compromise of their entire deployment pipeline, as stolen SSH credentials can be used to access production servers, development environments, and other critical infrastructure components. The exposure becomes particularly severe in environments where Jenkins controls access to multiple systems, as a single compromised credential can provide access to an entire network of connected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to Jenkins Publish Over SSH Plugin version 1.23 or later, which implements proper encryption for stored credentials. Organizations should also implement file system access controls using discretionary access control mechanisms to restrict access to Jenkins controller configuration files. Additional protective measures include implementing role-based access control within Jenkins, using Jenkins credentials binding for sensitive data, and establishing automated monitoring for unauthorized file system access attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all Jenkins plugins to identify similar credential storage vulnerabilities and ensure that all sensitive information is encrypted both at rest and in transit, aligning with NIST SP 800-53 security controls for data protection and access control.