Published: 2019-02-05
Revisions: 2019-06-12, 2019-03-04, 2019-02-28
Affected Versions: Nexus Repository 3 OSS/Pro versions up to and including 3.14.0
Fixed in Version: Nexus Repository OSS/Pro version 3.15.0
Risk: Critical - 10 (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H)
Summary
Insufficient access controls have been discovered in Nexus Repository 3 which allows remote code execution.
An unauthenticated user can craft requests in a manner that can execute arbitrary code and programs on the host system. We have mitigated the issue by adding the necessary access controls as well as disabling the ability to execute arbitrary Java code via this path. This advisory provides the pertinent information needed to properly address this vulnerability, along with the details on how to reach us if you have any further questions or concerns.
External researchers identified this vulnerability and has been verified by our security team. As of February 28, 2019, Sonatype has become aware that exploit instructions are being published by third parties. Additionally, as of June 12, 2019, Sonatype has also become aware that an exploit for this vulnerability has been added to the arsenal of a botnet. We are not aware of any active exploits taking advantage of this issue. We strongly encourage all users of Nexus Repository to immediately take the steps outlined in this advisory.
As the identified vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to run arbitrary code or programs on the host system, we are highly recommending all instances of NXRM be upgraded to 3.15 or later.
The vulnerability associated with this advisory is fixed in NXRM 3.15 and above. The latest version of Nexus Repository 3 can be downloaded from:
https://help.sonatype.com/en/download.html
For detailed information on upgrade compatibility, please see:
https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000350007
Credit:
Sonatype thanks Rico @ Tencent Security Yunding Lab and voidfyoo @ Chaitin Tech for responsibly reporting the identified issues and working with us as we addressed them.
Support:
If you run into any problems or have any questions/concerns, please contact us by filing a ticket at https://support.sonatype.com.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the risk associated with this vulnerability?
A: An unauthenticated attacker can inject and execute code on the server potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Q: What preconditions must be met in order to be vulnerable?
A: The attacker would need to send specially crafted requests to NXRM.
Q: Are there implications associated with this advisory itself?
A: Disclosure unfortunately means bad actors may try to take advantage. While we have initially limited the information to the minimum details necessary for users to affect an appropriate fix, this merely slows down a would-be attacker. As such, we are advising all organizations utilizing Nexus Repository to immediately assess their individual impact and take appropriate action in response.
Q: Where can I obtain more information associated with the vulnerability?
A: At this time, and in the best to protect our user community, we are limiting the information released to that absolutely required to assess the impact and affect remediation. Please contact support for more information.
Q: Why is Sonatype making this information available?
A: This is part of a responsible disclosure process. Given Nexus Repository is an open-source project with over 150,000 active server installations, notifying the user base will invariably lead to broad dissemination. We are taking a concerted and proactive approach in our outreach activities in an effort to achieve the most rapid remediation possible.