The CVE-2025-53672 vulnerability affects the Jenkins Kryptowire Plugin version 0.2 and earlier. The core issue is that the Kryptowire API key is stored in plaintext within the global configuration file on the Jenkins controller. This file is accessible to any user with access to the Jenkins controller's file system, which can include administrators or other users with elevated privileges. Since the API key is sensitive and can be used to access the Kryptowire service, its exposure compromises confidentiality. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). Exploitation does not require user interaction but does require some level of privilege on the Jenkins controller. Currently, there are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability primarily risks unauthorized disclosure of the API key, which could be leveraged for further attacks or unauthorized use of the Kryptowire service. Organizations using Jenkins with this plugin should be aware of the risk and take immediate steps to secure access and monitor for suspicious activity.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant confidentiality risk, especially in environments where multiple users have access to the Jenkins controller file system. Exposure of the Kryptowire API key could allow attackers or malicious insiders to misuse the API, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or manipulation within the Kryptowire platform. While the vulnerability does not directly affect system integrity or availability, the compromised API key could be a stepping stone for further attacks, including data exfiltration or lateral movement within the network. Organizations with strict regulatory requirements around data protection, such as GDPR, may face compliance issues if sensitive information is leaked due to this vulnerability. The impact is heightened in large enterprises and software development firms that rely heavily on Jenkins for CI/CD pipelines and use the Kryptowire plugin for security or compliance scanning. The risk is also increased in shared or multi-tenant Jenkins environments common in European tech companies.

1. Immediately restrict file system access on the Jenkins controller to only trusted administrators and essential personnel to minimize exposure risk. 2. Monitor and audit access logs to the Jenkins controller file system for any unauthorized or suspicious activity. 3. Until a patched version of the Kryptowire plugin is released, consider removing or disabling the plugin if feasible. 4. If removal is not possible, manually encrypt the API key in the configuration file or use Jenkins credentials management features to store sensitive data securely, avoiding plaintext storage. 5. Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) within Jenkins to limit who can view or modify global configuration files. 6. Keep Jenkins and all plugins up to date, and apply security patches promptly once available. 7. Educate Jenkins administrators and developers about the risks of storing sensitive information in plaintext and encourage best practices for secret management. 8. Consider network segmentation and additional monitoring around Jenkins infrastructure to detect potential lateral movement or misuse of exposed credentials.