CVE-2022-27201 in Semantic Versioning Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/15/2022
Jenkins Semantic Versioning Plugin 1.13 and earlier does not restrict execution of an controller/agent message to agents, and implements no limitations about the file path that can be parsed, allowing attackers able to control agent processes to have Jenkins parse a crafted file that uses external entities for extraction of secrets from the Jenkins controller or server-side request forgery.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2022
The Jenkins Semantic Versioning Plugin vulnerability CVE-2022-27201 represents a critical security flaw in versions 1.13 and earlier that fundamentally undermines the plugin's security model. This vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and path validation mechanisms within the plugin's message processing functionality, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust relationships between controller and agent components. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of controller/agent communications, where it fails to properly validate or restrict message execution contexts, allowing unauthorized agents to perform operations that should be restricted to the controller environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's failure to enforce proper sandboxing and validation of file paths during the parsing process. Attackers can manipulate the plugin's file parsing logic by crafting malicious files that leverage external entity references, a technique commonly associated with XML external entity attacks and similar server-side request forgery vulnerabilities. The absence of path restriction mechanisms means that agents with compromised or malicious control can direct the plugin to parse arbitrary files, potentially including configuration files, credential stores, or other sensitive system resources that the Jenkins controller maintains. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-94 Code Injection vulnerabilities, while also exhibiting characteristics of server-side request forgery patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to extract sensitive information from the Jenkins controller environment through carefully crafted file manipulation. The ability to leverage external entities for secret extraction creates a direct vector for credential theft, configuration disclosure, and potential lateral movement within the CI/CD infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to access stored credentials, build history, pipeline configurations, and other sensitive artifacts that the Jenkins controller maintains, potentially compromising entire build environments and development workflows. This vulnerability particularly impacts organizations relying heavily on Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment processes where the controller holds critical access tokens and sensitive configuration data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-27201 should prioritize immediate plugin version upgrades to 1.14 or later, which address the core access control and path validation issues. Organizations should implement strict agent management policies, ensuring that only trusted and properly secured agents can communicate with the Jenkins controller. Network-level restrictions should be applied to limit agent-controller communication to trusted networks, and additional monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous file parsing activities. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1566 Phishing and T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as attackers may use compromised agents to establish persistent access points for further exploitation. Regular security audits of plugin configurations and agent trust relationships should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other Jenkins components, while implementing principle of least privilege access controls for all agent communications.