Date: April 16th, 2020
Affected Versions:
- Nexus Repository 2 versions up to and including 2.14.16
- Nexus Repository 3 versions up to and including 3.22.0
Fixed in Version:
- Nexus Repository 2 version 2.14.17 and later
- Nexus Repository 3 version 3.22.1 and later
Risk:
Medium - 5.3 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N)
Summary:
A sensitive information disclosure (SID) vulnerability has been discovered in Nexus Repository 2 and Nexus Repository 3.
An attacker with administrative privileges can reconfigure the LDAP server in Nexus Repository so that they can retrieve the credentials of the LDAP system user. We have fixed the issue by ensuring the credentials can never be retrieved by any user. 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.
We are not aware of any active exploits taking advantage of this issue. However, we strongly encourage all users of NXRM to immediately take the steps outlined in this advisory. We are highly recommending all instances of NXRM 3 be upgraded to 3.22.1 or later and all instances of NXRM 2 be upgraded to 2.14.17 or later. The latest versions can be downloaded from:
For detailed information on upgrading, please see:
Nexus Repository 2 Upgrade and Compatibility Notes
Upgrading Nexus Repository 3.1.0 and Newer
Credit:
Sonatype thanks Brian Worthen (brianw) and Fabius Artrel for responsibly reporting the identified issue via Sonatype and HackerOne's Central Security Project and working with us as we addressed it.
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 attacker with administrative privileges can reconfigure the LDAP Server configuration to retrieve plain text copies of the username and password used for the LDAP system user.
Q: What preconditions must be met in order to be vulnerable?
A: An attacker must have administrative access to the Nexus Repository.
Q: Are there implications associated with this advisory itself?
A: Unfortunately, disclosure 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 NXRM 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 interest of best protecting our user community, we are limiting the information released to what is absolutely required in order 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. We are taking a concerted and proactive approach in our outreach activities and an effort to achieve the most rapid remediation possible.