CVE-2020-7904 in IntelliJ IDEA
Summary
by MITRE
In JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA before 2019.3, some Maven repositories were accessed via HTTP instead of HTTPS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7904 affects JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA versions prior to 2019.3, representing a significant security weakness in the software development environment's dependency management system. This issue stems from the application's default configuration that allows certain Maven repositories to be accessed through unencrypted HTTP connections rather than the more secure HTTPS protocol. The flaw creates a potential attack surface where sensitive data and code dependencies could be intercepted or modified during transmission between the development environment and remote repositories. This configuration issue particularly impacts developers who rely on IntelliJ IDEA for their daily coding activities and dependency management tasks, as it exposes their development workflow to man-in-the-middle attacks and data integrity risks. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-319 - Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information, which specifically addresses the transmission of confidential data over networks without proper encryption mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within IntelliJ IDEA's Maven repository configuration system, where the software defaults to HTTP connections for certain repository endpoints while failing to enforce secure HTTPS connections. This behavior creates a scenario where any network traffic containing sensitive information such as authentication tokens, private repository access credentials, or proprietary code dependencies could be captured by malicious actors positioned on the same network segment. Attackers could exploit this weakness to perform credential theft, code injection, or data manipulation attacks that compromise the integrity of the development process. The operational impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as compromised dependencies could lead to supply chain attacks where malicious code is introduced into development environments through seemingly legitimate software repositories. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1583.001 - Acquisition: Software, as it represents an opportunity for adversaries to obtain development tools and dependencies that may contain backdoors or malicious code.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe in enterprise development environments where multiple developers access shared repositories and where sensitive intellectual property is frequently downloaded and integrated into projects. When developers work in environments where network traffic is not properly secured, such as public Wi-Fi networks or poorly configured corporate networks, the risk of exploitation increases significantly. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate security posture of individual development machines but also introduces potential risks to entire development pipelines and continuous integration systems that rely on Maven dependencies. Organizations using IntelliJ IDEA in their development workflows face the risk of compromised build processes, where malicious actors could inject compromised artifacts into dependency chains, potentially affecting multiple projects and development teams. The mitigation strategy involves updating to IntelliJ IDEA version 2019.3 or later, which implements proper HTTPS enforcement for Maven repositories, along with network security measures such as implementing proper SSL inspection policies and ensuring that all development environments enforce encrypted connections for external repository access. Additionally, organizations should conduct security reviews of their development environment configurations to ensure that all repository access points are properly secured and that developers are educated about the importance of secure dependency management practices.