CVE-2023-37947 in OpenShift Login Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
Jenkins OpenShift Login Plugin 1.1.0.227.v27e08dfb_1a_20 and earlier improperly determines that a redirect URL after login is legitimately pointing to Jenkins, allowing attackers to perform phishing attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-37947 affects the Jenkins OpenShift Login Plugin version 1.1.0.227.v27e08dfb_1a_20 and earlier releases, presenting a critical security risk that undermines the integrity of the authentication process. This flaw resides in the plugin's redirect URL validation mechanism, which fails to properly verify the legitimacy of URLs that users are directed to after successful authentication. The issue creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the post-login redirection behavior, effectively enabling them to craft deceptive login experiences that can trick users into revealing sensitive credentials or performing unintended actions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and trust assumptions within the plugin's authentication flow, allowing malicious actors to exploit the redirect mechanism for unauthorized purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation and trust model exploitation within authentication systems. The plugin's code fails to rigorously validate redirect URLs against a predefined whitelist or trusted domain list, instead relying on superficial checks that can be bypassed through crafted malicious inputs. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate the redirect parameter to point to arbitrary external domains, particularly those designed to mimic legitimate Jenkins interfaces or corporate login portals. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically impacts the authentication flow by leveraging the trust relationship between the authentication system and the redirect mechanism. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-601: URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect'), which is categorized as a high-severity issue due to its potential for facilitating phishing attacks and credential theft. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple redirection as it fundamentally compromises the trust model that users place in the authentication system.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-37947 represents a significant threat to organizational security posture, particularly in environments where Jenkins serves as a critical CI/CD platform and where OpenShift integration is utilized for containerized deployment workflows. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to create convincing phishing pages that appear to be legitimate Jenkins interfaces, potentially capturing user credentials or redirecting them to malicious sites that could install malware or exfiltrate data. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Jenkins is used for automated build processes, as successful exploitation could lead to compromise of the entire continuous integration pipeline. The vulnerability affects not only individual user accounts but also organizational resources that rely on Jenkins for deployment automation, potentially enabling attackers to gain access to source code repositories, deployment credentials, and other sensitive infrastructure components. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as it enables the creation of convincing phishing campaigns that leverage the legitimate Jenkins interface to deceive users. Organizations utilizing this plugin in production environments face immediate risk of credential compromise and potential lateral movement within their infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-37947 require immediate action to address the vulnerable plugin version and implement additional protective measures. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of the Jenkins OpenShift Login Plugin where the redirect URL validation has been properly implemented with strict domain whitelisting or validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to prevent access to unauthorized domains and consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of potential credential compromise. Security teams should monitor for suspicious redirect patterns and implement logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated plugin configuration to ensure that legitimate redirect functionality remains operational while eliminating the security vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should conduct security reviews of all authentication plugins and components to identify similar validation weaknesses that could be exploited in similar fashion. The implementation of proper input validation and output encoding practices, as recommended by security standards and frameworks, should be enforced across all authentication-related components to prevent recurrence of similar vulnerabilities.