Jenkins Issues Urgent Security Advisory Addressing Critical Vulnerabilities

Jenkins, the world’s most popular open-source automation server, has issued a high-priority security advisory (April 2, 2025), revealing eight significant vulnerabilities in its core platform and various plugins. The most severe flaw, CVE-2025-31722, allows remote code execution on Jenkins controllers through the Templating Engine Plugin, posing a major risk to DevOps environments.

Other issues include critical permission mismanagement, insecure credential storage, and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) exploits. Organizations relying on Jenkins for their CI/CD pipelines must act swiftly to apply patches and mitigate potential security threats.

the Security Issues

Critical Code Injection in Templating Engine Plugin (CVE-2025-31722, CVSS 8.8)
– This flaw enables remote code execution via improperly scoped pipeline libraries.
– Attackers with Item/Configure permissions can bypass Groovy sandbox restrictions in Templating Engine Plugin versions ≤2.5.3.
– The issue has been fixed in version 2.5.4.

Jenkins Core Permission Bypasses (CVE-2025-31720, CVE-2025-31721)

Affects Jenkins core versions ≤2.503 and LTS ≤2.492.2.

– Two main risks:

Agent Configuration Leak: Attackers with Computer/Create permissions can access sensitive agent configurations.
Secret Extraction: Unauthorized users can extract encrypted credentials.
Patched in Jenkins 2.504 (weekly) and 2.492.3 (LTS).

Plugin Security Failures: Unencrypted Credential Storage

Several Jenkins plugins store sensitive data insecurely, exposing API keys and passwords:

| Plugin | CVE | Risk |

|–|–|–|

| Cadence vManager | CVE-2025-31724 | Unencrypted Verisium API keys |

| monitor-remote-job | CVE-2025-31725 | Plaintext passwords |

Only Cadence vManager (v4.0.1) has been patched. Other affected plugins remain vulnerable.

CSRF in Build Queue Manipulation (CVE-2025-31723)

Affects Simple Queue Plugin ≤1.4.6, enabling attackers to alter build orders.
Fixed in version 1.4.7 by enforcing POST request authentication.

Remediation Steps and Challenges

Patched Components:

Jenkins Core: Upgrade to 2.504 (weekly) or 2.492.3 (LTS).

– Templating Engine Plugin: Update to v2.5.4.

– Simple Queue Plugin: Update to v1.4.7.

– Cadence vManager: Upgrade to v4.0.1.

Unresolved Risks:

Plugins like AsakusaSatellite, monitor-remote-job, and Stack Hammer remain unpatched.

– Recommended actions:

– Revoke Item/Extended Read permissions from untrusted users.

– Audit `config.xml` files for exposed credentials.

– Monitor plugin repositories for future updates.

Security Research and Vendor Response

Researchers Daniel Beck and Swapna Nanda from CloudBees identified core permission flaws.
Aix Marseille University researchers discovered multiple plugin vulnerabilities.
The Jenkins project urges immediate patching, emphasizing that no active exploits have been detected yet.
Organizations must implement least-privilege access and continuous secret rotation to defend against evolving threats.

What Undercode Says:

The Growing Attack Surface in CI/CD Pipelines

The vulnerabilities in Jenkins highlight a recurring issue in CI/CD security: excessive trust in plugins and weak permission management. Organizations often prioritize automation speed over security, leading to misconfigurations that attackers exploit.

1. Remote Code Execution (RCE) Risks

The Templating Engine Plugin flaw (CVE-2025-31722) allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on Jenkins controllers.
This underscores the dangers of inadequate sandbox enforcement in DevOps tools.
Enterprises must evaluate third-party plugins rigorously before deploying them in production.

2. Insecure Credential Storage in Plugins

API keys and passwords stored unencrypted in config.xml files remain a persistent issue.
Why is this critical? Attackers with minimal access can extract credentials, escalating their privileges.
Developers must prioritize secrets management solutions like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.

3. Permission Bypasses in Core Jenkins

The ability to escalate privileges through agent configuration leaks exposes a fundamental weakness in Jenkins’ permission model.
The reliance on implicit trust between components (e.g., agents, controllers, plugins) creates exploitable gaps.
Companies should implement role-based access control (RBAC) and restrict agent creation to trusted users only.

4. Unpatched Plugins: A Long-Term Security Concern

Jenkins plugins often lack consistent security updates, leaving users vulnerable for extended periods.
The fact that monitor-remote-job, Stack Hammer, and AsakusaSatellite remain unpatched is alarming.
Security teams should disable or replace outdated plugins and audit dependency chains regularly.

5. CSRF Exploits: A Warning for Future Threats

The Simple Queue Plugin vulnerability (CVE-2025-31723) shows how CSRF attacks can manipulate Jenkins pipelines.
Future attacks may combine CSRF with social engineering to compromise sensitive build environments.
Enforcing strict authentication and authorization on all API endpoints is crucial.

How Organizations Should Respond

Patch Immediately: Upgrade Jenkins core and affected plugins without delay.
Audit Plugin Security: Review all installed plugins and remove unmaintained ones.
Implement Least-Privilege Access: Restrict permissions to only what’s necessary for operation.
Monitor Jenkins Logs: Enable logging and anomaly detection to catch suspicious activities early.
Use Encrypted Secrets Management: Avoid storing credentials in plaintext configuration files.

Fact Checker Results

Jenkins’ official advisory confirms the severity of these vulnerabilities, particularly CVE-2025-31722.
Patch availability varies, with some plugins still unpatched, increasing risks for unprotected systems.
Security researchers highlight the growing threats to CI/CD environments, urging organizations to adopt proactive security measures.

References:

Reported By: https://cyberpress.org/jenkins-plugin-vulnerabilities/
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