CVE-2022-28142 in Proxmox Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/29/2022
Jenkins Proxmox Plugin 0.6.0 and earlier disables SSL/TLS certificate validation globally for the Jenkins controller JVM when configured to ignore SSL/TLS issues.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2022
The Jenkins Proxmox Plugin vulnerability CVE-2022-28142 represents a critical security flaw in versions 0.6.0 and earlier that fundamentally compromises the integrity of SSL/TLS certificate validation within the Jenkins controller environment. This vulnerability manifests when administrators configure the plugin to ignore SSL/TLS certificate issues, resulting in a global disablement of certificate validation for the entire Jenkins JVM instance. The flaw creates a persistent security risk that extends beyond the immediate plugin usage, affecting all network communications originating from the Jenkins controller that rely on SSL/TLS protocols for secure data transmission. This behavior directly violates fundamental security principles and establishes a backdoor for potential attackers to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted through the Jenkins environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's design pattern that indiscriminately disables SSL/TLS validation for the entire Java Virtual Machine rather than applying the setting to specific connections or components. When the plugin is configured with SSL/TLS certificate validation disabled, it modifies the JVM's security settings at a global level, effectively removing the certificate verification mechanism for all subsequent HTTPS connections made by the Jenkins controller. This approach creates a dangerous precedent where legitimate security controls are bypassed without proper authorization or security context, leaving the entire Jenkins infrastructure exposed to man-in-the-middle attacks and other cryptographic threats. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and specifically demonstrates the dangerous practice of weakening security controls in a manner that affects the entire system rather than isolated components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate scope of the Proxmox plugin, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that secure communication relies upon within the Jenkins ecosystem. Attackers who gain access to the Jenkins controller can exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent surveillance capabilities, intercept sensitive build artifacts, credentials, and configuration data that flows through the Jenkins environment. The global nature of the SSL/TLS disablement means that all Jenkins communications, including those with external repositories, build servers, and deployment targets, become vulnerable to cryptographic attacks. This vulnerability particularly impacts environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation hub, as it creates a single point of failure where an attacker can compromise the entire CI/CD pipeline and potentially gain access to production systems through the Jenkins controller.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address the exposed security risk. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of the Jenkins Proxmox Plugin that properly implements SSL/TLS validation controls without affecting the global JVM security settings. Administrators must also conduct thorough security assessments of their Jenkins environments to identify any other plugins or configurations that may have implemented similar dangerous security practices. Network segmentation and additional monitoring controls should be deployed to detect unauthorized access attempts and anomalous network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive revalidation of all SSL/TLS certificates within the Jenkins environment and implementation of proper certificate management procedures to prevent future occurrences. This vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining proper security boundaries and avoiding global security control modifications that can compromise entire systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting through network infiltration and T1046 for network service scanning that could leverage the weakened SSL/TLS protections.