Improper Authentication in Jenkins Active Directory Plugin

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

9.8 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2020-2299: 1.34% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 71.36 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Jenkins Active Directory Plugin implements two separate modes: Integration with ADSI on Windows, and an OS agnostic LDAP-based mode. The LDAP-based mode in Active Directory Plugin starting in version 1.44 and prior to versions 2.16.1 and 2.20 shares code between user lookup and user authentication and distinguishes these behaviors through the use if a magic constant used in place of a real password. This allows attackers to log in as any user if the magic constant is used as the password in Active Directory Plugin prior to 2.16.1 and 220. Active Directory Plugin 2.16.1 and 2.20 no longer uses a magic constant to distinguish between user lookup and user authentication.

Published by the source

24 May 2022, 17:33 UTC

Last modified by the source

14 Dec 2023, 19:19 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:21 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-rf92-3vjr-w628

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2020-2299

Advisory: Improper Authentication in Jenkins Active Directory Plugin
IDs: CVE-2020-2299, GHSA-rf92-3vjr-w628
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2020-2299 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:21 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory 2.20, 2.16.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory: affected >= 2.17, < 2.20; >= 1.44, < 2.16.1; fixed in 2.20, 2.16.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-rf92-3vjr-w628 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rf92-3vjr-w628 lists affected ranges: Maven org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory >=2.17 =1.44 <2.16.1)

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