CVE-2025-64142 identifies a security vulnerability in the Jenkins Nexus Task Runner Plugin versions 0.9.2 and earlier. The root cause is a missing permission check that allows any user with Overall/Read permission on a Jenkins instance to abuse the plugin’s functionality to connect to an attacker-specified URL using credentials also specified by the attacker. This means that an attacker who can view the Jenkins instance but does not have higher privileges can coerce the plugin into making outbound connections with arbitrary credentials, potentially enabling unauthorized interactions with external systems or services. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-862, indicating a missing authorization control. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low attack complexity, and privileges at the read level, but does not impact confidentiality or availability directly. No user interaction is required, and the scope remains unchanged as the vulnerability affects only the plugin’s operations within the Jenkins environment. There are currently no patches or known exploits publicly available. The vulnerability could be leveraged to perform unauthorized actions on external systems by abusing the plugin’s ability to connect using attacker-controlled credentials, potentially leading to integrity violations or lateral movement in complex environments.

For European organizations, the primary impact lies in the potential misuse of Jenkins infrastructure to interact with external systems in unauthorized ways. While confidentiality and availability are not directly compromised, the integrity of external integrations or automated tasks could be affected. This could lead to unauthorized data manipulation or execution of unintended operations on third-party services, which may cascade into broader operational disruptions or compliance violations. Organizations relying heavily on Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment, especially those integrating Nexus repositories or similar artifact management systems, are at risk. The vulnerability could be exploited by insiders or attackers who have gained read access to Jenkins but lack higher privileges, thus lowering the bar for exploitation. Given the widespread use of Jenkins in European software development and DevOps pipelines, the risk is non-trivial. Additionally, regulatory frameworks such as GDPR require organizations to maintain integrity and security of their systems, so exploitation could have legal and reputational consequences.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should first audit and restrict Overall/Read permissions in Jenkins to only trusted users, minimizing the attack surface. Implement strict access controls and regularly review user permissions to ensure that read access is not overly permissive. Monitor Jenkins logs and network traffic for unusual outbound connections initiated by the Nexus Task Runner Plugin, especially to unknown or suspicious URLs. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or uninstalling the Nexus Task Runner Plugin if it is not essential to operations. If the plugin is required, isolate Jenkins instances in network segments with restricted outbound connectivity to limit potential abuse. Additionally, implement network-level controls such as egress filtering and proxy authentication to prevent unauthorized external connections. Stay informed about vendor updates and apply patches promptly once available. Incorporate this vulnerability into vulnerability management and incident response plans to ensure timely detection and remediation.