Jenkins Pipeline Groovy Plugin is primarily used in Jenkins, a popular open-source automation server, and it's employed by DevOps professionals and organizations looking to implement continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. The plugin allows the customization and scripting of Jenkins pipelines with Groovy, a powerful scripting language. This enables automation of repetitive tasks, enhancing productivity and consistency in software delivery processes. Its flexibility makes it valuable in environments where complex build and deployment scenarios are common. The plugin is widely adopted in both small and large software development projects that require robust automation solutions.
The vulnerability identified is a deserialization flaw, which allows low-privilege authenticated users to bypass Groovy sandbox protections. This can result in arbitrary code execution on the Jenkins controller JVM, putting the entire CI/CD process at risk. The flaw arises during the parsing, compilation, and instantiation of CPS-transformed pipeline scripts, where sandbox protections fail to apply effectively. This significant oversight can potentially expose sensitive credentials, execute arbitrary nodes, and compromise build artifacts. It's a critical security concern for Jenkins users leveraging this plugin version.
In technical terms, the vulnerability exploits a weak point in CpsGroovyShell.java, part of the Jenkins Pipeline Groovy Plugin. Specifically, the vulnerability is in the workflow-cps plugin's deserialization process, which doesn't adequately restrict sandboxed code during script execution. This leads to a bypass of security measures intended to safeguard Jenkins environments, providing a path for attackers to execute unauthorized OS commands. The affected version is CPS-transformed, which includes improper checks leading to this security gap. Key parameters such as user permissions play a role in this bypass, allowing malicious exploitation with Overall/Read permissions.
Exploiting this vulnerability can lead to severe consequences, including the theft of sensitive data like credentials and SSH keys. Attackers could potentially gain complete control over Jenkins nodes, execute unauthorized commands, and perform supply chain attacks by injecting malicious code into build artifacts. The integrity of the CI/CD pipeline could be compromised, leading to potential breaches in software delivery and deployment processes. This vulnerability could be leveraged for lateral movement within the network, endangering broader systems beyond the Jenkins server.
REFERENCES
- https://www.jenkins.io/security/advisory/2019-03-06/#SECURITY-1336
- https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2019-1003030
- https://github.com/overgrowncarrot1/CVE-2019-1003030
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1003030
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159603/Jenkins-2.63-Sandbox-Bypass.html
- Upgrade to Pipeline: Groovy Plugin (workflow-cps) version 2.64 or later immediately to mitigate the vulnerability.
- If upgrading is not feasible, restrict Overall/Read permissions to trusted users only to reduce the risk of exploitation.
- Disable Pipeline job creation for untrusted users to prevent unauthorized script execution.
- Conduct regular security audits and monitoring to identify and address similar vulnerabilities promptly.
- Implement strict access controls and regularly review user permissions to ensure minimal necessary privileges are assigned.
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