CVE-2023-39155 in Chef Identity Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/26/2023
Jenkins Chef Identity Plugin 2.0.3 and earlier does not mask the user.pem key form field, increasing the potential for attackers to observe and capture it.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-39155 affects the Jenkins Chef Identity Plugin version 2.0.3 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk through improper handling of sensitive credential information. This issue manifests in the plugin's form field implementation where the user.pem key is displayed in plain text rather than being masked, creating an exploitable condition that directly violates fundamental security principles of credential protection. The vulnerability exists within the user interface layer of the Jenkins automation platform, specifically in how the plugin renders authentication credentials during configuration processes.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper input masking for the user.pem key field, which represents a critical weakness in the principle of least privilege and secure credential handling. This design oversight allows any user with access to the Jenkins interface to view the sensitive private key in cleartext, potentially exposing the entire infrastructure to unauthorized access. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and specifically relates to CWE-522, which deals with insufficiently protected credentials, making this a particularly dangerous exposure for enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation hub.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as the user.pem key represents a critical authentication mechanism that could provide attackers with elevated privileges within the Chef infrastructure. An attacker who captures this key could potentially execute arbitrary commands on managed nodes, modify configurations, or escalate privileges within the automation pipeline. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers credentials in files, and T1078, which involves valid accounts, as the compromised key could be used to maintain persistent access to the Chef environment. The exposure creates a pathway for attackers to move laterally within the infrastructure and potentially compromise the entire automation ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-39155 should prioritize immediate patching of the Jenkins Chef Identity Plugin to version 2.0.4 or later, which includes the necessary form field masking implementation. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring for unauthorized access to Jenkins configuration pages and credential fields, utilizing audit logging to detect potential exposure events. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit who can access Jenkins and its configuration interfaces. Security teams should conduct comprehensive reviews of all Jenkins plugins for similar credential exposure issues and implement automated scanning tools to identify such vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include credential rotation for any compromised keys and implementation of more robust authentication mechanisms such as API tokens or certificate-based authentication to reduce the attack surface and provide additional layers of security beyond the basic credential masking fix.