CVE-2025-53657 is a security vulnerability identified in the Jenkins ReadyAPI Functional Testing Plugin version 1.11 and earlier. This plugin is used within Jenkins, a widely adopted open-source automation server, to facilitate functional testing using ReadyAPI. The vulnerability arises because sensitive credentials such as SLM License Access Keys, client secrets, and passwords are not masked when displayed on the job configuration form within Jenkins. This lack of masking means that anyone with access to the Jenkins job configuration interface can view these sensitive values in plaintext. Since Jenkins is often used in continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, exposure of these credentials can lead to unauthorized access to licensing services or other integrated systems that rely on these secrets. The vulnerability does not require exploitation through code execution or injection but rather depends on an attacker having access to the Jenkins user interface where the job configurations are managed. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the exposure of sensitive credentials can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, or unauthorized use of licensed software. The vulnerability was published on July 9, 2025, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The affected versions are identified as 1.11 and earlier, with no patch links currently available, indicating that remediation may require vendor updates or configuration changes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive credentials used in automated testing and licensing management within Jenkins environments. Organizations relying on Jenkins for CI/CD pipelines that incorporate the ReadyAPI Functional Testing Plugin may inadvertently expose critical secrets to internal or external threat actors who gain access to Jenkins interfaces. This could lead to unauthorized use of licensed software, potential service disruptions, or further compromise of integrated systems. Given the widespread use of Jenkins across various industries in Europe, including finance, manufacturing, and technology sectors, the impact could be broad. Exposure of client secrets and license keys could also lead to compliance issues under GDPR and other data protection regulations if such credentials are linked to personal or sensitive data processing. Additionally, the vulnerability could facilitate insider threats or attacks leveraging compromised credentials to escalate privileges or move laterally within corporate networks.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately audit Jenkins instances to identify usage of the ReadyAPI Functional Testing Plugin version 1.11 or earlier. 2) Restrict access to Jenkins job configuration pages strictly to trusted administrators and implement role-based access control (RBAC) to minimize exposure. 3) Where possible, upgrade the plugin to a version where credentials are properly masked or obfuscated; if no patch is available, consider disabling the plugin until a fix is released. 4) Implement Jenkins credential management best practices by using Jenkins Credentials Plugin to store secrets securely rather than embedding them directly in job configurations. 5) Monitor Jenkins logs and access patterns for unusual activity that could indicate attempts to view or exfiltrate sensitive configuration data. 6) Educate DevOps and security teams about the risks of exposing credentials in UI forms and enforce policies to avoid storing plaintext secrets in configuration files or interfaces. 7) Consider network segmentation and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Jenkins access to reduce the risk of unauthorized interface access. 8) Regularly review and rotate exposed credentials and license keys as a precautionary measure.