CVE-2018-12100 in Nexus Repository Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager before 3.12.0 has XSS in multiple areas in the Administration UI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12100 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager versions prior to 3.12.0, specifically affecting the Administration UI components. This issue allows authenticated attackers with administrative privileges to inject malicious scripts into the web interface, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive repository data and system compromise. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the administration console, creating persistent XSS attack vectors across multiple UI sections. Given that Nexus Repository Manager serves as a critical artifact repository for software development organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risk to enterprise security infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it within the web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious payloads through various administrative forms, configuration settings, or artifact upload mechanisms that are subsequently displayed without adequate HTML encoding. The flaw exists in multiple areas of the Administration UI, indicating a systemic issue in the application's security architecture rather than isolated code defects. This widespread presence suggests that the developers did not implement consistent input sanitization controls across all administrative interfaces, creating multiple attack surfaces for potential exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to escalate privileges and potentially gain unauthorized access to repository contents, modify configuration settings, or exfiltrate sensitive data. An authenticated attacker with administrative access can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors within the repository environment, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of software artifacts stored in the system. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets the administrative interface where users typically possess elevated privileges, allowing for comprehensive system compromise. Organizations relying on Nexus Repository Manager for software supply chain management face heightened risk of supply chain attacks when this vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12100 primarily involve immediate patching to version 3.12.0 or later, which addresses the XSS vulnerabilities through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including regular security assessments of administrative interfaces, monitoring for suspicious administrative activities, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to repository management systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other administrative components and ensure that all user-supplied inputs undergo proper sanitization before being rendered in web interfaces. Regular security training for administrators and implementation of principle of least privilege access controls can further reduce the risk associated with this vulnerability.