CVE-2019-17444 in Artifactory
Summary
by MITRE • 10/13/2020
Jfrog Artifactory uses default passwords (such as "password") for administrative accounts and does not require users to change them. This may allow unauthorized network-based attackers to completely compromise of Jfrog Artifactory. This issue affects Jfrog Artifactory versions prior to 6.17.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17444 represents a critical security flaw in Jfrog Artifactory software where default administrative credentials are left unchanged, creating an easily exploitable entry point for malicious actors. This issue stems from poor security configuration practices where the software ships with pre-defined administrative accounts using weak passwords such as "password" that remain active and unchanged in production environments. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software, and represents a fundamental failure in secure configuration management. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain immediate administrative access to the Artifactory instance, bypassing all normal authentication mechanisms and security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the artifact repository system. Once compromised, attackers can manipulate or steal sensitive software artifacts, modify repository contents, inject malicious code into build processes, and potentially use the compromised Artifactory as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that deploy Artifactory without proper security hardening procedures, leaving default configurations in place during initial setup. The risk is amplified because Artifactory typically serves as a central repository for software artifacts, making it a valuable target for attackers seeking to compromise software supply chains. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to 6.17.0, indicating that this was a known issue that required specific patching to resolve.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Jfrog Artifactory version 6.17.0 or later, which addresses this vulnerability through improved default configuration settings and mandatory credential changes during initial setup. Security teams must conduct comprehensive audits of all Artifactory instances to identify and remediate any systems still running vulnerable versions. The implementation of strong password policies, mandatory credential rotation, and regular security assessments should become standard practice for all repository management systems. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of Artifactory instances to only necessary users and systems, while monitoring for unauthorized access attempts should be enabled to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure configuration management and the principle of least privilege in software deployment, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through default credentials.