CVE-2025-53650: Jenkins Credentials Binding Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-53650 Overview

CVE-2025-53650 affects the Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin version 687.v619cb_15e923f and earlier. The plugin fails to mask credentials in exception error messages written to build logs. Attackers with access to build output can recover secrets that should have been redacted with asterisks. This weakness maps to [CWE-522] Insufficiently Protected Credentials.

The vulnerability impacts CI/CD pipelines that rely on the plugin to inject secrets such as API keys, tokens, and passwords into build steps. Any user able to view build logs may obtain these credentials in cleartext when an exception surfaces them.

Critical Impact
Credentials bound into Jenkins builds can leak through unmasked exception messages, exposing secrets to anyone with build log access.

Affected Products

Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin 687.v619cb_15e923f and earlier
Jenkins controllers using the Credentials Binding Plugin for secret injection
CI/CD pipelines relying on bound credentials within freestyle or pipeline jobs

Discovery Timeline

2025-07-09 - Jenkins publishes security advisory SECURITY-3499
2025-07-09 - CVE-2025-53650 published to NVD
2025-11-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-53650

Vulnerability Analysis

The Jenkins Credentials Binding Plugin injects secrets into the build environment and is expected to replace any occurrence of those secrets in console output with asterisks. CVE-2025-53650 breaks this guarantee when credentials appear inside Java exception messages. The plugin's log filter does not intercept the stack trace and message strings produced by exceptions, so secret values pass through unmodified.

The issue is classified as Information Disclosure under [CWE-522]. Exploitation requires no authentication on the attacker's part if build logs are publicly readable. In environments restricting log access, any developer or job viewer with read permissions can harvest secrets. The EPSS probability is 0.143%.

Root Cause

The root cause is incomplete output filtering. The plugin sanitizes standard stdout and stderr writes but does not extend the same masking logic to exception messages serialized into the build log. When a step throws an exception that includes a bound credential, such as a failed HTTP request that echoes back a token in its error message, the credential reaches the log verbatim.

Attack Vector

An attacker triggers or observes a failing build step that uses a bound credential. Typical scenarios include malformed API calls, authentication failures, or shell commands that print arguments on error. The exception propagates with the credential embedded, and the unfiltered message is written to the build log. The attacker then reads the log through the Jenkins UI or remote API to extract the secret.

No code execution is required. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network where Jenkins is reachable, and abuse leaves only normal log-read activity in audit trails.

See the Jenkins Security Advisory SECURITY-3499 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53650

Indicators of Compromise

Build log entries containing exception stack traces with cleartext values matching known credential patterns such as AKIA, ghp_, xoxb-, or JWT prefixes
Unmasked strings adjacent to phrases like Exception, Caused by:, or 401 Unauthorized in Jenkins console output
Access patterns showing repeated retrieval of failed build logs by non-owner accounts

Detection Strategies

Scan archived Jenkins build logs for credential patterns using secret-detection tools such as trufflehog or gitleaks configured against the $JENKINS_HOME/jobs/*/builds/*/log paths
Correlate Jenkins audit events for Run/Console permission usage against jobs that bind credentials
Alert when build outcomes change from success to failure on jobs that use the Credentials Binding Plugin, then triage the resulting log

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward Jenkins build logs and audit events into a centralized SIEM and run continuous secret-pattern detection
Track plugin version inventory across Jenkins controllers and flag any instance running 687.v619cb_15e923f or earlier
Rotate any credential whose corresponding job log contains an exception during the exposure window

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53650

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade the Credentials Binding Plugin to the version released in Jenkins Security Advisory SECURITY-3499
Rotate every credential that was bound through the plugin while a vulnerable version was running
Restrict Item/Read and Run/Console permissions to least privilege on jobs that use bound credentials
Purge or sanitize historical build logs that may contain exposed secrets

Patch Information

Jenkins released a fixed version of the Credentials Binding Plugin alongside advisory SECURITY-3499 on 2025-07-09. The patched build extends masking logic to exception messages so bound credentials are replaced with asterisks before reaching the build log. Administrators should update through the Jenkins Plugin Manager and restart the controller to load the new version.

Workarounds

Disable jobs that bind sensitive credentials until the plugin is upgraded
Replace plugin-bound secrets with an external secrets manager such as HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager accessed at runtime through a wrapper that performs its own masking
Limit build log visibility using the Role-Based Authorization Strategy plugin so only trusted users can view console output

bash

# Verify installed Credentials Binding Plugin version via Jenkins CLI
java -jar jenkins-cli.jar -s https://jenkins.example.com/ \
  list-plugins | grep credentials-binding

# Upgrade through the Plugin Manager UI or via CLI
java -jar jenkins-cli.jar -s https://jenkins.example.com/ \
  install-plugin credentials-binding -restart