CVE-2025-59475 is a security vulnerability identified in Jenkins, an open-source automation server widely used for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. The vulnerability affects Jenkins versions 2.527 and earlier, including Long-Term Support (LTS) version 2.516.2 and earlier. The core issue is a missing permission check on the authenticated user's profile dropdown menu. Specifically, Jenkins does not verify whether the authenticated user has the Overall/Read permission before allowing access to certain menu options. This flaw enables attackers who have authenticated access but lack the Overall/Read permission to enumerate limited information about the Jenkins configuration. For example, they can determine whether sensitive plugins such as the Credentials Plugin are installed. Although this vulnerability does not allow direct access to credentials or configuration changes, it leaks configuration metadata that could assist attackers in crafting more targeted attacks or escalating privileges. The vulnerability does not require elevated permissions beyond authentication, and no user interaction beyond login is necessary. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned. The absence of a patch link suggests that remediation may require updating Jenkins to a version beyond 2.527 or applying vendor-provided fixes once available. This vulnerability is primarily an information disclosure issue, which can be a stepping stone for further exploitation in complex attack chains.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily due to the widespread use of Jenkins in software development and DevOps environments. Information disclosure about Jenkins configuration, such as the presence of the Credentials Plugin, can aid attackers in identifying potential attack vectors or weaknesses in the CI/CD pipeline security. This can lead to targeted attacks aiming to compromise build processes, inject malicious code, or exfiltrate sensitive credentials stored by Jenkins plugins. Organizations with strict compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR) may face regulatory scrutiny if such information disclosure leads to a breach of personal data or intellectual property. The impact is heightened in sectors with critical infrastructure or sensitive data, such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies, which rely heavily on automated build and deployment pipelines. However, since exploitation requires authenticated access, the threat is somewhat mitigated by existing access controls. Nonetheless, insider threats or compromised user accounts could leverage this vulnerability to gain reconnaissance information, increasing the risk of privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network.

To mitigate CVE-2025-59475, European organizations should: 1) Upgrade Jenkins to a version later than 2.527 or the next available LTS release that addresses this permission check issue once a patch is released. 2) Implement strict access control policies to limit the number of users with authenticated access to Jenkins, especially those without Overall/Read permissions. 3) Monitor Jenkins user activity logs for unusual access patterns or attempts to access profile dropdown menus by unauthorized users. 4) Employ network segmentation to isolate Jenkins servers from less trusted network zones, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. 5) Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on Jenkins and its plugins to identify and remediate similar permission misconfigurations. 6) Educate developers and DevOps teams about the risks of information disclosure and enforce the principle of least privilege for Jenkins user accounts. 7) Review and harden plugin configurations, especially those related to credentials management, to minimize the impact of potential information leaks.