CVE-2023-32999 in AppSpider Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/16/2023
A missing permission check in Jenkins AppSpider Plugin 1.0.15 and earlier allows attackers with Overall/Read permission to connect to an attacker-specified URL using attacker-specified username and password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-32999 represents a critical authorization flaw within the Jenkins AppSpider Plugin version 1.0.15 and earlier releases. This issue stems from a missing permission check that fundamentally undermines the security model of the Jenkins platform. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where the AppSpider plugin is installed and configured, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to external resources through the Jenkins environment. The flaw enables malicious actors to exploit the existing read permissions to perform actions that should require higher privileges, thereby violating the principle of least privilege that is fundamental to secure system design.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the plugin's failure to validate whether the authenticated user possesses the appropriate authorization levels before executing network requests to external endpoints. When an attacker with only Overall/Read permission attempts to utilize the plugin's functionality, the system does not properly verify whether the user should be permitted to establish connections to arbitrary URLs. This missing validation allows the attacker to specify any target URL and provide custom authentication credentials, effectively bypassing the intended access controls that should prevent such unauthorized network operations. The flaw essentially transforms a read-only permission into a potential vector for network reconnaissance and data exfiltration activities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment processes. Attackers can leverage this weakness to probe internal networks, scan for vulnerable services, or attempt to access sensitive resources that are protected by authentication mechanisms. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the attacker can potentially use this capability to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, harvest credentials from compromised systems, or establish persistence within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it accessible to users who should only have read access to the Jenkins environment. This misconfiguration can lead to unauthorized data access, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within the network.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading the Jenkins AppSpider plugin to version 1.0.16 or later, which contains the necessary permission checks to prevent unauthorized network connections. Organizations should also review their Jenkins access controls and ensure that users with Overall/Read permissions are not granted unnecessary capabilities that could be exploited. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-863, which addresses improper authorization scenarios, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS, as attackers can use this capability to establish connections to external domains. Additionally, this issue demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and privilege separation in plugin architectures, reinforcing the need for comprehensive security testing of third-party integrations within CI/CD environments. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual outbound connections that might indicate exploitation attempts, and maintain regular security audits of their Jenkins plugin ecosystem to identify similar authorization gaps.