CVE-2023-25761 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article discusses CVE-2023-25761, a security vulnerability identified in the Jenkins JUnit Plugin.

Understanding CVE-2023-25761

CVE-2023-25761 refers to a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in the Jenkins JUnit Plugin, specifically affecting versions 1166.va_436e268e972 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from the plugin not properly escaping test case class names in JavaScript expressions, leading to potential exploitation by attackers who can manipulate the test case class names within the JUnit resources processed by the plugin.

What is CVE-2023-25761?

The CVE-2023-25761 vulnerability in the Jenkins JUnit Plugin exposes a security risk where attackers can execute malicious JavaScript code in the context of an authenticated user's session, potentially leading to unauthorized access or data manipulation.

The Impact of CVE-2023-25761

This vulnerability could allow threat actors with the ability to control test case class names to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the Jenkins environment. Consequently, sensitive data could be disclosed, and unauthorized actions might be performed by exploiting this vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-25761

The following technical aspects provide more insight into CVE-2023-25761:

Vulnerability Description

The Jenkins JUnit Plugin version 1166.va_436e268e972 and earlier fail to properly sanitize test case class names in JavaScript expressions, thereby enabling stored cross-site scripting attacks via manipulated test case class names.

Affected Systems and Versions

The Jenkins JUnit Plugin versions up to and including 1166.va_436e268e972 are vulnerable to CVE-2023-25761, while version 1119.1124.va_a_8ccde5658f remains unaffected by this specific security issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the CVE-2023-25761 vulnerability by crafting test case class names with malicious JavaScript payloads, leading to the execution of unauthorized scripts within the Jenkins environment.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-25761 and enhance security measures, the following steps can be taken:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Jenkins JUnit Plugin to a patched and secure version to mitigate the XSS vulnerability.
Employ input validation mechanisms to ensure that user-controlled data, such as test case class names, is sanitized before being processed by the plugin.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor security advisories and updates from Jenkins to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities and patches.
Conduct security audits and code reviews to identify and remediate XSS and other security threats in plugins and extensions.

Patching and Updates

Jenkins users are advised to apply the latest available patches or updates for the Jenkins JUnit Plugin to address the CVE-2023-25761 vulnerability effectively.
It is crucial to keep all software components, including plugins and dependencies, up to date to minimize the risk of exposure to known security vulnerabilities.