Nexus Repository 3 - Unverified Onboarding State on change-admin-password Endpoint
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Nexus Repository 3 contained an endpoint used to change the administrator account password during initial onboarding. This endpoint did not verify that onboarding was still in progress before allowing the password change, relying instead on the presence of a local onboarding artifact. As a result, an account holding the nexus:* permission could invoke the endpoint outside the intended onboarding flow to replace the administrator password, and existing sessions were not invalidated after the change.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Nexus Repository 3 (Sonatype) Fixed in 3.95.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 3.95.0
10 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 4 MEDIUM, 6 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-14434 Nexus Repository 3 - HikariCP connectionInitSql Injection RCE via DataStore Configuration APIPriority MEDIUM 41
- TI-2026-14432 Nexus Repository 3 - Wildcard Privilege Update Self-Escalation to AdministratorPriority MEDIUM 41
- TI-2026-14431 Nexus Repository 3 - Session Not Invalidated on User Account Deletion or DeactivationPriority MEDIUM 40
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-17599
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jffj-qrgg-8qm5
References
More Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-05133 Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager before 3.15.0 has Incorrect Access Control. KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-03883 OS command injection in Nexus Repository Manager CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-02763 Nexus Repository 3 - Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Task Property Injection CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.4
- TI-2026-04532 Nexus Repository 3 - Hardcoded Credential in Internal Database Component CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.2
- TI-2021-15218 Multiple XSS issues exist in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager 3 before 3.33.0. CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.4
- TI-2019-07044 Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager before 3.17.0 establishes a default administrator user… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-17599 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-17599 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jffj-qrgg-8qm5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences