CVE-2026-57299: Jenkins Contrast Plugin Permission Bypass – Metadata Enumeration

Technical summary

CVE-2026-57299 results from insufficient authorization validation in the Contrast plugin. The plugin fails to properly enforce permission boundaries when handling requests to enumerate Contrast metadata. An authenticated user possessing only Overall/Read permission can access an endpoint or functionality that should require higher privileges, allowing disclosure of configured Contrast profile names and related metadata. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating the root cause is absent or inadequate permission checks rather than a logic flaw in a protected routine.

Business impact

Enumeration of Contrast metadata configuration names could enable attackers to map an organization's application security posture and identify which applications or systems are monitored. This reconnaissance capability becomes more concerning in multi-tenant or high-security environments where configuration names might reflect business-critical systems. The integrity impact is rated as low since the flaw allows information disclosure only; however, in combination with other vulnerabilities, enumerated names could inform targeted attacks. Organizations relying on Jenkins as a central hub for security orchestration should consider this a minor but real erosion of operational security.

Affected systems

The vulnerability affects Jenkins Contrast Continuous Application Security Plugin in version 3.11 and all earlier versions. Jenkins administrators should verify their installed version and prioritize upgrades for instances where the Contrast plugin is actively deployed. The issue does not affect the Contrast platform itself, only the Jenkins integration layer.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires valid Jenkins credentials with at least Overall/Read permission—a permission level commonly granted to team members who need visibility into build pipelines and security scans. No user interaction is required, and the attack can be performed over the network. The relatively low barrier to entry (widespread read permissions) combined with straightforward enumeration makes this moderately exploitable, though the low severity of the disclosure (names only, not secrets or code) limits the immediate impact. This vulnerability is not currently listed on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Remediation

Upgrade the Jenkins Contrast Continuous Application Security Plugin to a version later than 3.11. Consult the Jenkins plugin repository or Contrast security advisories for the specific patched release version number and installation instructions. Organizations unable to upgrade immediately should restrict Overall/Read permission grants to only users and service accounts that genuinely require build or security audit visibility, reducing the pool of users who can enumerate metadata.

Patch guidance

Check the Jenkins plugin marketplace or Contrast's security advisory for the recommended patched version of the Contrast Continuous Application Security Plugin. Apply the patch during a scheduled maintenance window; the plugin typically does not require Jenkins restart if hot-reloading is enabled, but verify vendor guidance. After patching, test the plugin's integration with your Contrast organization to ensure authentication and scanning workflows remain functional. No configuration migration or data loss is expected from this security patch.

Detection guidance

Monitor Jenkins logs and audit trails for repeated or unusual requests to plugin configuration endpoints, particularly from user accounts with limited privileges. If your organization has API logging for the Contrast plugin, look for enumeration attempts that query metadata endpoints without corresponding authorized actions. Network-based detection is challenging since traffic appears as normal Jenkins communication; focus on behavioral analysis and access logs. After patching, verify that enumeration attempts are properly blocked by attempting to query Contrast metadata as a read-only user and confirming denial.

Why prioritize this

Although rated MEDIUM severity, this vulnerability merits timely but not emergency remediation. The integrity impact is low (information disclosure only), and active exploitation is not yet documented. However, the low barrier to exploitation (any user with read permissions) and the reconnaissance value of enumerated configuration names make this a good candidate for inclusion in quarterly or monthly patch cycles. Prioritize this above informational issues but below critical or high-severity auth bypasses or code-execution flaws affecting Jenkins itself.

Risk score, explained

CVSS 3.1 score of 4.3 reflects the combination of network accessibility (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), and requirement for low privileges (PR:L). The low integrity impact (I:L) and absence of confidentiality or availability impact prevent a higher score. The user must be authenticated, which provides a minimal baseline of access control. This places the issue squarely in the MEDIUM range: not trivial, but not severe enough to warrant emergency response procedures.

Frequently asked questions