Build Infrastructure Is a Trust Anchor: Threat Modelling Exposed CI/CD and Artifact Repositories
Build Infrastructure Is a Trust Anchor: Threat Modelling Exposed CI/CD and Artifact Repositories A build server holds the credentials that sign, package and publish your software. An artifact repository holds the packages your production systems install. Neither is a peripheral system, and both are frequently reachable from networks they were never meant to face. Treating them as ordinary…
Build infrastructure is crucial for trust in software development. A compromised build server or artifact repository can lead to malicious code being accepted by a pipeline. A study reveals that many of these critical systems are reachable from the internet, posing significant risks. GitLab, Artifactory, SonarQube, Nexus Repository, Gitea, and Jenkins are among the frequently compromised systems.
Each system presents unique risks, from exposing internal architecture to allowing unauthorized changes and distribution of malicious packages. Security measures must focus on limiting public reachability, segregating build and publish credentials, and enforcing rigorous review processes. These systems are often owned by engineering rather than security, leading to a lack of visibility in asset inventory.
Implementing proper trust modeling, refining access controls, and establishing robust provenance can mitigate these risks.
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