CVE-2023-27898: Jenkins core Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-j664-qhh4-hpf8
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CVSS 8.8
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-27898 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.8) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Jenkins core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves cross-site scripting vulnerability in jenkins. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.394, 2.375.4.

CVE-2023-27898 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-27898
GHSA Identifier GHSA-j664-qhh4-hpf8
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.8
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Jenkins core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2023-27898

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Jenkins core dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core fixed: 2.394 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.main</groupId>
    <artifactId>jenkins-core</artifactId>
    <version>2.394</version>
</dependency>
org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core fixed: 2.375.4 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.main</groupId>
    <artifactId>jenkins-core</artifactId>
    <version>2.375.4</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.main

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-27898, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.main

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Jenkins core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.394), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.main command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Jenkins core, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Jenkins 2.270 through 2.393 (both inclusive), LTS 2.277.1 through 2.375.3 (both inclusive) does not escape the Jenkins version a plugin depends on when rendering the error message stating its incompatibility with the current version of Jenkins, resulting in a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exploitable by attackers able to provide plugins to the configured update sites and have this message shown by Jenkins instances.

CVE-2023-27898 Affected Jenkins core Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.3942.375.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core
maven/org.jenkins-ci.main/jenkins-core
Maven
≥ 2.376
< 2.394
2.394
org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core
maven/org.jenkins-ci.main/jenkins-core
Maven
< 2.375.4
2.375.4

References

NVD — CVE-2023-27898 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27898
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/commit/59ac866d9946d7c296023da0ea78baafd4cf71eb
Jenkins core Security Information SECURITY
https://www.jenkins.io/security/advisory/2023-03-08/#SECURITY-3037

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-27898?
CVE-2023-27898 is a security vulnerability in Jenkins core involving Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in Jenkins under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Jenkins core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.394, 2.375.4 across affected packages: org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core.
What version fixes CVE-2023-27898?
Upgrading to 2.394, 2.375.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is jenkins-core affected?
Yes, org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core is affected in releases prior to 2.394, 2.375.4. Upgrade your dependency to 2.394, 2.375.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-27898?
CVE-2023-27898 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-27898?
CVE-2023-27898 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2023-27898?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.main'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-j664-qhh4-hpf8",
  "modified" : "2023-05-19T15:55:11Z",
  "published" : "2023-03-10T21:30:19Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-27898" ],
  "summary" : "Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in Jenkins",
  "details" : "Jenkins 2.270 through 2.393 (both inclusive), LTS 2.277.1 through 2.375.3 (both inclusive) does not escape the Jenkins version a plugin depends on when rendering the error message stating its incompatibility with the current version of Jenkins, resulting in a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exploitable by attackers able to provide plugins to the configured update sites and have this message shown by Jenkins instances.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.376"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.394"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.375.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27898"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/commit/59ac866d9946d7c296023da0ea78baafd4cf71eb"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.jenkins.io/security/advisory/2023-03-08/#SECURITY-3037"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-03-17T14:45:14Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-03-10T21:15:00Z"
  }
}