CVE-2022-41240 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Jenkins Walti Plugin version 1.0.1 and earlier. This vulnerability arises because the plugin fails to properly escape or sanitize data received from the Walti API before rendering it in the Jenkins user interface. Specifically, if an attacker can control or manipulate the API responses from Walti, they can inject malicious scripts that get stored and subsequently executed in the context of users viewing the affected Jenkins interface. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which pertains to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, leading to XSS. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), user interaction (UI:R), scope changed (S:C), and impacts on confidentiality and integrity but not availability (C:L/I:L/A:N). Exploitation requires an attacker to have some level of privileges on Jenkins (likely a user with some access) and the ability to influence Walti API responses, which might be feasible in environments where Walti API data is integrated dynamically or sourced from untrusted endpoints. The scope change indicates that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting the entire Jenkins instance or users interacting with it. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date, and no official patches or updates are linked in the provided data, suggesting that mitigation may require manual intervention or plugin updates from the vendor. This vulnerability is significant because Jenkins is widely used for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and the Walti plugin is used to integrate Walti API data into Jenkins dashboards or jobs. Stored XSS in such environments can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within Jenkins, especially if users with elevated privileges are targeted.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-41240 can be considerable, especially those relying heavily on Jenkins for software development and deployment workflows. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts within the Jenkins web interface, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing sensitive information such as credentials or tokens, and manipulating build or deployment processes. This can lead to unauthorized code execution, insertion of malicious code into software artifacts, or disruption of development pipelines. Given the collaborative nature of Jenkins environments, a successful attack could propagate through multiple teams and projects, increasing the risk of widespread compromise. Additionally, organizations subject to strict data protection regulations such as GDPR must consider the confidentiality impact, as leakage of personal or sensitive data through XSS attacks could lead to compliance violations and financial penalties. The requirement for some level of privileges and user interaction reduces the likelihood of mass exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments where multiple users have Jenkins access. The scope change indicates that the vulnerability could affect multiple components or users, amplifying potential damage. Since no known exploits are reported, proactive mitigation is critical to prevent future attacks.

To mitigate CVE-2022-41240 effectively, European organizations should take the following specific steps beyond generic advice: 1) Immediately audit Jenkins instances to identify usage of the Walti plugin version 1.0.1 or earlier. 2) If an updated, patched version of the Walti plugin is available from the Jenkins project or plugin maintainers, prioritize upgrading to that version. 3) If no patch is available, consider disabling or removing the Walti plugin until a fix is released to eliminate the attack surface. 4) Review and restrict which users have privileges to configure or influence Walti API integrations, minimizing the risk that an attacker can inject malicious API responses. 5) Implement strict network controls and API validation to ensure that only trusted and verified Walti API endpoints are used, preventing attackers from supplying malicious data. 6) Educate Jenkins users about the risk of interacting with untrusted content and encourage cautious behavior regarding links or inputs within Jenkins dashboards. 7) Monitor Jenkins logs and web traffic for unusual activity or signs of XSS exploitation attempts. 8) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers in Jenkins web interfaces to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, which can mitigate the impact of XSS attacks. 9) Regularly review and update Jenkins and all plugins to maintain security hygiene. These targeted actions will reduce the likelihood of exploitation and limit potential damage if an attack occurs.