CVE-2023-37948 in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Compute Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
Jenkins Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Compute Plugin 1.0.16 and earlier does not validate SSH host keys when connecting OCI clouds, enabling man-in-the-middle attacks.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-37948 affects the Jenkins Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Compute Plugin version 1.0.16 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through improper SSH host key validation during OCI cloud connections. This flaw creates an environment where attackers can execute man-in-the-middle attacks by intercepting and modifying communications between Jenkins and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure services. The plugin's failure to validate SSH host keys means that Jenkins will accept any SSH connection regardless of the host's authenticity, fundamentally undermining the security of automated cloud operations. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of cloud-based CI/CD pipelines that rely on Jenkins for orchestration and deployment activities.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of proper SSH host key verification mechanisms within the plugin's connection handling process. When Jenkins establishes SSH connections to OCI compute instances, it should validate the host keys against known fingerprints or certificate authorities to ensure the connection is authentic. Without this validation, an attacker positioned between the Jenkins server and the OCI infrastructure can present a fake SSH host key, allowing them to intercept or manipulate communication traffic. This weakness aligns with CWE-310, which specifically addresses cryptographic weaknesses in host key validation and authentication processes. The vulnerability essentially removes the cryptographic assurance that SSH connections provide, transforming secure communications into potentially compromised channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network interception, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to cloud resources and potentially compromise entire CI/CD pipelines. An attacker who successfully executes a man-in-the-middle attack could modify build artifacts, inject malicious code into deployment processes, or gain access to sensitive credentials stored within the Jenkins environment. This risk is particularly severe in enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central hub for automated deployments to production environments. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could remain undetected for extended periods, allowing attackers to maintain access while conducting reconnaissance or executing more sophisticated attacks against the cloud infrastructure. Organizations using Jenkins for cloud automation face significant risk of data breaches, service disruptions, and compliance violations due to this weakness.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-37948 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that implement proper SSH host key validation. Organizations should also implement additional network-level security controls such as SSH known hosts files, certificate pinning, and network segmentation to reduce attack surface. The implementation of strict access controls and monitoring of SSH connections can help detect unauthorized activities. Security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of all Jenkins plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities and establish secure configuration practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and execution of malicious code through compromised automation tools. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege for Jenkins user accounts and regularly audit cloud access logs to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining updated security practices in cloud automation environments and demonstrates the critical need for proper host key validation in all remote access protocols.