CVE-2024-43044 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.8) CWE-754 vulnerability in org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting. 6 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Jenkins Remoting library arbitrary file read vulnerability
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2024-43044.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2024-43044 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,636 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the 10–50% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting☕org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting☕org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting☕org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core☕org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core☕org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-coreReal-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 uses the Remoting library (typically agent.jar or remoting.jar) for the communication between controller and agents. This library allows agents to load classes and classloader resources from the controller, so that Java objects sent from the controller (build steps, etc.) can be executed on agents.
In addition to individual class and resource files, Remoting also allows Jenkins plugins to transmit entire jar files to agents using the Channel#preloadJar API. As of publication of this advisory, this feature is used by the following plugins distributed by the Jenkins project: bouncycastle API, Groovy, Ivy, TeamConcert
In Remoting 3256.v88a_f6e922152 and earlier, except 3206.3208.v409508a_675ff and 3248.3250.v3277a_8e88c9b_, included in Jenkins 2.470 and earlier, LTS 2.452.3 and earlier, calls to Channel#preloadJar result in the retrieval of files from the controller by the agent using ClassLoaderProxy#fetchJar. Additionally, the implementation of ClassLoaderProxy#fetchJar invoked on the controller does not restrict paths that agents could request to read from the controller file system.
This allows agent processes, code running on agents, and attackers with Agent/Connect permission to read arbitrary files from the Jenkins controller file system.
The Remoting library in Jenkins 2.471, LTS 2.452.4, LTS 2.462.1 now sends jar file contents with Channel#preloadJar requests, the only use case of ClassLoaderProxy#fetchJar in agents, so that agents do not need to request jar file contents from controllers anymore.
To retain compatibility with older versions of Remoting in combination with the plugins listed above, ClassLoaderProxy#fetchJar is retained and otherwise unused, just deprecated. Its implementation in Jenkins 2.471, LTS 2.452.4, LTS 2.462.1 was changed so that it is now limited to retrieving jar files referenced in the core classloader or any plugin classloader.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting | all versions | 3206.3208org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting:3206.3208 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting | ≥ 3248&&< 3248.3250 | 3248.3250org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting:3248.3250 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting | ≥ 3256&&< 3256.3258 | 3256.3258org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting:3256.3258 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core | all versions | 2.452.4org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core:2.452.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core | ≥ 2.460&&< 2.462.1 | 2.462.1org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core:2.462.1 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core | ≥ 2.470&&< 2.471 | 2.471org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core:2.471 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.jenkins-ci.main:remoting to 3206.3208 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-43044 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2024-43044 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2024-43044. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
This vulnerability is classified as critical because it could allow remote code execution (RCE). Additionally, this vulnerability may enable an attacker to read arbitrary files from the Jenkins controller, resulting in a significant exposure of confidential information, compromising the overall integrity of the…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| OCP-Tools-4.12-RHEL-8 | jenkins-0:2.462.1.1723550696-3.el8 | RHSA-2024:5410 |
| OCP-Tools-4.13-RHEL-8 | jenkins-0:2.462.1.1723445923-3.el8 | RHSA-2024:5406 |
| OCP-Tools-4.14-RHEL-8 | jenkins-0:2.462.1.1723225151-3.el8 | RHSA-2024:5411 |
| OCP-Tools-4.15-RHEL-8 | jenkins-0:2.462.1.1723440104-3.el8 | RHSA-2024:5405 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-43044 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2024-43044 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.