Unprotected Admin Password Reset Endpoint in Nexus Repository 3
CVE-2026-17599 Published on August 7, 2026
Nexus Repository 3 - Unverified Onboarding State on change-admin-password Endpoint
Nexus Repository 3 contained an endpoint used to change the administrator account password during initial onboarding. This endpoint did not verify that onboarding was still in progress before allowing the password change, relying instead on the presence of a local onboarding artifact. As a result, an account holding the nexus:* permission could invoke the endpoint outside the intended onboarding flow to replace the administrator password, and existing sessions were not invalidated after the change.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-17599 can be exploited with network access, and requires user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have no impact on confidentiality and integrity and availability.
Weakness Type
Unverified Password Change
When setting a new password for a user, the product does not require knowledge of the original password, or using another form of authentication. This could be used by an attacker to change passwords for another user, thus gaining the privileges associated with that user.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-17599
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Affected Versions
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3:- Version 3.17.0 and below 3.95.0 is affected.