CVE-2020-2299 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) vulnerability in org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory. A fix is available for org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Authentication in Jenkins Active Directory Plugin
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory☕org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directoryReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
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.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory | ≥ 2.17&&< 2.20 | 2.20org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory:2.20 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory | ≥ 1.44&&< 2.16.1 | 2.16.1org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory:2.16.1 |
Affected Products
active directoryjenkinsDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.jenkins-ci.plugins:active-directory to 2.20 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2020-2299 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2020-2299 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.