CVE-2026-57291: Jenkins Gitee Plugin Missing Permission Check Vulnerability

Technical summary

CVE-2026-57291 is a missing permission check vulnerability in Jenkins Gitee Plugin version 1288.v18b_deb_c9069b_ and earlier. The vulnerability exists in the plugin's URL connection functionality, which fails to validate whether a user has appropriate permissions before allowing them to specify an arbitrary target URL and associate it with credential IDs. An authenticated user holding Overall/Read permission—a low baseline privilege level in Jenkins—can supply attacker-controlled URLs and previously-disclosed credential identifiers, causing the plugin to establish connections using those credentials without verifying authorization. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization).

Business impact

This vulnerability introduces a credential exposure and misuse risk within Jenkins CI/CD environments. Attackers with minimal Jenkins access can redirect plugin operations to external infrastructure, potentially harvesting sensitive data, exfiltrating build artifacts, or poisoning integration points with third-party services. For organizations using Gitee integration as part of their software supply chain, this could compromise repository synchronization, artifact delivery, or credential rotation workflows. The impact is amplified in multi-tenant or shared Jenkins instances where read-level permissions are widely distributed.

Affected systems

Jenkins Gitee Plugin version 1288.v18b_deb_c9069b_ and all earlier versions are affected. Verify your installed plugin version via Jenkins plugin management console. Any Jenkins instance running this plugin with users holding Overall/Read permission is at risk.

Exploitability

Exploitability is straightforward: the attack requires only valid Jenkins credentials at the Read permission level, which is commonly granted to developers and build engineers. No user interaction is needed once access is gained, and the network is required only to reach Jenkins itself. The attacker must have pre-knowledge of valid credential IDs (obtained via disclosure or reconnaissance), but credential enumeration via Jenkins API is often feasible. CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 reflects low attack complexity and the confidentiality and integrity impact, offset by the requirement for prior authentication.

Remediation

Upgrade the Jenkins Gitee Plugin to a patched version released after the published date of 2026-06-24. Consult the official Jenkins plugin repository and Jenkins security advisories for the specific fixed version number. In the interim, restrict Overall/Read permission to trusted users only, and audit which users and service accounts currently hold read-level access. Review Jenkins credential storage and access logs to identify unauthorized credential reference attempts.

Patch guidance

Check the Jenkins plugin update center or the plugin's GitHub releases page for a version published after June 24, 2026. Apply the update through the Jenkins Plugin Manager interface (Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins > Updates) or download and manually install the fixed .hpi file if your environment requires offline updates. After patching, restart Jenkins and verify the plugin version in the Installed Plugins list. Test Gitee integration workflows to ensure connectivity and credential handling remain functional post-patch.

Detection guidance

Monitor Jenkins logs for unusual URL patterns or external connection attempts initiated by the Gitee Plugin. Enable audit logging if available to track credential ID references and URL specifications. Use Jenkins script console or pipeline logging to inspect plugin configuration changes. Network-level monitoring should flag unexpected outbound connections from the Jenkins server to unfamiliar hosts. Periodically audit Overall/Read permission assignments and cross-reference with user roles and responsibilities to identify over-provisioned accounts.

Why prioritize this

Although this vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating and requires authenticated access, it directly impacts credential security and supply chain integrity in CI/CD environments. Organizations operating shared Jenkins instances or those with broad developer access should prioritize patching, as the attack surface is wide. The vulnerability is not listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, suggesting limited wild exploitation at present, but the straightforward attack pattern and low privilege requirement warrant timely remediation.

Risk score, explained

CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 (MEDIUM) reflects: (1) Network attack vector with low complexity, (2) requirement for low-level authentication (Overall/Read), (3) limited confidentiality and integrity impact (data exposure or misuse, not system compromise), and (4) no availability impact. The score appropriately penalizes the missing authorization check but acknowledges that full system compromise is unlikely and that the attacker must hold valid credentials to begin with.

Frequently asked questions