GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) vulnerability in org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core. 5 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Input Validation in Jenkins
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
GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE sits: patch-first territory.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 376,715 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the 50–90% 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: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
A arbitrary file read vulnerability exists in Jenkins 2.132 and earlier, 2.121.1 and earlier in the Stapler web framework's org/kohsuke/stapler/Stapler.java that allows attackers to send crafted HTTP requests returning the contents of any file on the Jenkins master file system that the Jenkins master has access to.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core | all versions | 2.121.2org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core:2.121.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core | ≥ 2.122&&< 2.132 | 2.132org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core:2.132 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Jenkins Plugin Script Security 1.49/Declarative 1.3.4/Groovy 2.60 - Remote Code Execution
by wetw0rk · Feb 25, 2019
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:jenkins-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.jenkins-ci.main:jenkins-core to 2.121.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 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 GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-qf38-f2fr-q4x9 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.