Nexus Repository 3 - Static hard-coded encryption passphrase used by default

published 2024-10-23 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2024-46916

cvss: 6.5; version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.4%; EPSS 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 33%
public exploits: 0; none known

Use of Hard-coded Credentials vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository has been discovered in the code responsible for encrypting any secrets stored in the Nexus Repository configuration database (SMTP or HTTP proxy credentials, user tokens, tokens, among others). The affected versions relied on a static hard-coded encryption passphrase. While it was possible for an administrator to define an alternate encryption passphrase, it could only be done at first boot and not updated.

This issue affects Nexus Repository: from 3.0.0 through 3.72.0.

Patch / fix

fixed in 1

sonatype nexus_repository_manager 3.73.0

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: partial
Assessed: 2 y ago (2024-10-23)

Exploit prediction

0.39% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 33% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	4.0	5.9	CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA	4.0	5.9	CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
NVD	3.1	6.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Affected products

Sonatype Nexus Repository

Classification

Weakness

CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials

References

support.sonatype.com /hc/en-us/articles/34496708991507
vendor-advisory

Sources

CVE List CVE-2024-5764
NVD CVE-2024-5764

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary