CVE-2019-9629 in Nexus Repository Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager before 3.17.0 establishes a default administrator user with weak defaults (fixed credentials).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9629 represents a critical security flaw in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager versions prior to 3.17.0 where the system automatically creates a default administrator account with predictable and easily guessable credentials. This weakness stems from the software's design decision to ship with hardcoded default authentication values that remain unchanged unless explicitly modified by administrators during initial setup. The flaw creates an immediate and persistent security risk that can be exploited by attackers without requiring any specialized knowledge or advanced techniques to gain administrative access to the repository manager.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it provides adversaries with legitimate administrative credentials that can be used to establish persistent access to the system. The default administrator account typically uses common username and password combinations such as admin/admin or admin/password, making it trivial for attackers to gain unauthorized access through automated scanning tools or brute force attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as administrative privileges in a repository manager environment provide attackers with complete control over all stored artifacts, dependencies, and build configurations. Attackers can manipulate or replace critical software components, inject malicious code into the supply chain, or exfiltrate sensitive information from the repository. The vulnerability affects organizations that fail to properly configure their Nexus instances, particularly those that are deployed in production environments without immediate credential changes. This creates a significant risk for software development teams that rely on Nexus as a central dependency management system, as compromised repositories can lead to widespread supply chain attacks affecting multiple downstream applications and systems.
Organizations should immediately implement remediation measures including updating to Nexus Repository Manager version 3.17.0 or later, which addresses this issue by removing or properly securing default credentials. Administrators must ensure that all default accounts are disabled or have their credentials changed immediately upon initial deployment. Additional security controls should include implementing network segmentation to limit access to repository manager systems, enabling multi-factor authentication where possible, and conducting regular security audits to verify that no default accounts remain active. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and the concept of defense in depth, as relying on default configurations creates inherent security weaknesses that attackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components.