CVE-2022-45381 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Jenkins Pipeline Utility Steps Plugin versions 2.13.1 and earlier. The vulnerability arises because the plugin does not restrict the set of enabled prefix interpolators and includes versions of the Apache Commons Configuration library that enable the 'file:' prefix interpolator by default. This misconfiguration allows attackers with the ability to configure Jenkins Pipelines to exploit the 'file:' prefix interpolator to read arbitrary files from the Jenkins controller's file system. Essentially, an attacker who has pipeline configuration permissions can craft pipeline scripts that leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive files on the Jenkins server, potentially exposing credentials, configuration files, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), indicating a path traversal or directory traversal issue. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high severity with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N, meaning the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges (pipeline configuration rights), no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality and integrity heavily, but not availability. No known exploits in the wild have been reported yet, and no official patches are linked in the provided data, but the vulnerability disclosure date is November 15, 2022. This vulnerability is critical for organizations using Jenkins for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, especially where multiple users have pipeline configuration access, as it can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information and potential pipeline manipulation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of their CI/CD environments. Jenkins is widely used across various industries in Europe, including finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government sectors. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files such as credentials, private keys, or proprietary source code stored on the Jenkins controller, potentially enabling further lateral movement or supply chain attacks. The integrity impact means attackers could alter pipeline configurations or inject malicious steps, undermining software build and deployment processes. This could result in compromised software releases, data breaches, or disruption of critical services. Given the high reliance on automated build systems in European enterprises and the increasing regulatory scrutiny around data protection (e.g., GDPR), exploitation could also lead to compliance violations and reputational damage. The requirement for pipeline configuration privileges limits the attack surface to insiders or compromised accounts, but in environments with broad developer or DevOps access, the risk remains substantial.

European organizations should immediately audit their Jenkins environments to identify instances of the Pipeline Utility Steps Plugin at or below version 2.13.1. They should upgrade to the latest plugin version where this vulnerability is addressed or apply any vendor-provided patches as soon as they become available. Until patched, organizations should restrict pipeline configuration permissions strictly to trusted personnel and enforce the principle of least privilege. Implementing strong access controls and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Jenkins accounts with pipeline configuration rights is critical. Additionally, organizations should monitor Jenkins logs for unusual pipeline configurations or attempts to use 'file:' prefix interpolators. Network segmentation of the Jenkins controller and limiting its exposure to untrusted networks can reduce exploitation risk. Employing runtime security tools that detect anomalous file access patterns on the Jenkins server can provide early warning. Finally, organizations should review and harden their Jenkins security posture overall, including plugin management, credential storage, and audit logging.