CVE-2022-45400 is a security vulnerability found in the Jenkins JAPEX Plugin 1.7 and earlier versions. This vulnerability enables attackers to execute XML external entity (XXE) attacks due to the improper configuration of the XML parser used within the plugin. Exploiting this vulnerability can have severe consequences, including data leakage, information disclosure, and denial of service attacks.

Details

The Jenkins JAPEX Plugin is designed to integrate Jenkins with JAPEX (Java API for Performance EXperiments) - a framework that simplifies the creation, management, and execution of performance tests in Java applications. The vulnerable component is the XML parser used by the plugin to process configuration files or other XML-based data.

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious XML file containing external entities. These external entities can perform various operations, such as reading local files, accessing remote servers, or exhausting system resources, which may lead to sensitive information exposure or denial of service attacks.

Here is an example of a malicious XML file that utilizes the XXE vulnerability

<?xml version="1." encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE foo [
	<!ELEMENT foo ANY>
	<!ENTITY xxe SYSTEM "file:///etc/passwd">
]>
<foo>&xxe;</foo>

In this example, the attacker is attempting to read the contents of the /etc/passwd file on the affected system.

Solution

The vulnerability has been fixed in the Jenkins JAPEX Plugin version 1.8. Users are advised to update their plugin to the latest version as soon as possible to protect their systems against potential XXE attacks.

References

1. Jenkins Advisory
2. JAPEX Plugin
3. CVE-2022-45400 - NIST NVD
4. JAPEX (Java API for Performance EXperiments)

Crafting a malicious XML file that contains the external entities as shown in the example above

2. Injecting or uploading the malicious XML file to the target system running the vulnerable Jenkins JAPEX plugin

It is essential to note that this exploit's success depends on the specific configurations, permissions, and overall setup of the target system. Therefore, extra caution must be taken to protect systems and ensure that security best practices are followed.

In conclusion, it is crucial to keep your Jenkins environment and its plugins up to date to mitigate potential risks. Stay informed about security advisories and always follow best security practices to ensure that your Jenkins setup remains protected against emerging threats.

Timeline

Published on: 11/15/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/20/2022 03:07:00 UTC