CVE-2023-40346 in Shortcut Job Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/16/2023
Jenkins Shortcut Job Plugin 0.4 and earlier does not escape the shortcut redirection URL, resulting in a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exploitable by attackers able to configure shortcut jobs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2023
The Jenkins Shortcut Job Plugin vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-40346 represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of Jenkins continuous integration environments. This vulnerability affects versions 0.4 and earlier of the Shortcut Job Plugin, which is commonly used to create shortcuts to other Jenkins jobs within the web interface. The core issue lies in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-provided input when generating shortcut redirection URLs, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject harmful scripts into the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's URL handling code. When administrators configure shortcut jobs, they can specify target URLs that redirect users to other Jenkins jobs or external resources. The plugin stores these URLs without proper HTML escaping or sanitization, allowing attackers who can configure shortcut jobs to inject malicious JavaScript code into the stored URL values. This stored XSS vulnerability occurs because the plugin fails to apply appropriate encoding or validation to user-supplied redirection targets before rendering them in web pages. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to escape output, specifically manifesting as a stored cross-site scripting flaw that allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges and compromise entire Jenkins environments. An attacker who gains the ability to configure shortcut jobs can inject malicious scripts that persist in the system until manually removed. These scripts can harvest session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute additional attacks against the Jenkins infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Jenkins serves as a central automation hub, as it can provide attackers with a foothold to access sensitive build processes, source code repositories, and deployment pipelines. The attack surface is further expanded because Jenkins administrators often grant configuration privileges to multiple users, increasing the likelihood that an attacker can find someone with sufficient permissions to create malicious shortcuts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to upgrade the affected Jenkins Shortcut Job Plugin to version 0.5 or later, which includes proper URL escaping mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive access controls to limit who can configure shortcut jobs within their Jenkins instances, reducing the attack surface for potential XSS exploitation. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all Jenkins plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure proper input validation across all user-configurable parameters. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security scanning of Jenkins environments can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages, highlighting how stored XSS can be leveraged to execute malicious code within user browsers. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious URL patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.