Nexus Repository 3 - Privilege Escalation via Rut Auth Capability Creation
Affects Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE and Pro versions 3.0.0 through 3.97.x where an account holds the nexus:capabilities:create permission without administrator access. Fixed in 3.98.0.
Written by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 from the sources below. Verify against them.
- Exploited
- No known exploitation
- Fix
- Fixed in 3.98.0
- Who is exposed
- Specific setups only
Do first: Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs. Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE or Pro in affected versions 3.0.0 up to and including 3.97.x An account on the instance holds the nexus:capabilities:create permission but not administrator access Remote clients can reach the instance over the network
- Exploitation?/40Exploitation: unknown (data gap). No CISA SSVC exploitation rating yet
- Exposure8/25Specific setups only, reachable over the network
- Reach?/20Reach: unknown (data gap). No tracked technology or package matched
- Severity8.6/10CVSS 8.6
- No patch0/5No signal
What would change the score
- Would score about 67 if added to CISA KEV
- Would score about 62 if CISA's SSVC rates exploitation active
- Would score about 24 if CISA's SSVC rates it automatable
CVE-2026-113374 is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No public exploit code is tracked. It is rated CVSS 8.6 (high) and affects Nexus Repository 3; fixed in 3.98.0.
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- Published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Not listed in CISA KEV
- A 0-100 score for how much a CVE matters across the industry: exploitation, exposure, how widely the software is used, severity and whether a fix exists.What do these mean? →
- 17/100 · provisional
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Specific setups only
- Fix
- Fixed in 3.98.0
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 lets a user with only the capability creation permission turn on header-based authentication, which is not supposed to require realm administration rights. A remote attacker who has that low-privilege login can then authenticate as an existing user, including an administrator, without credentials.
Read the original description
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 does not require realm administration permission when a user creates a Rut Auth capability. A user who holds only the capability creation permission (nexus:capabilities:create) can create this capability, which turns on header-based authentication for the instance. A remote client can then authenticate as an existing user, including an administrator, without credentials.
What to do
Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs.
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE or Pro in affected versions 3.0.0 up to and including 3.97.x An account on the instance holds the nexus:capabilities:create permission but not administrator access Remote clients can reach the instance over the networkUpgrade to a fixed version: 3.98.0.
Workaround: Grant the capability privileges only to trusted administrators
Timeline
- CVE published
- First seen by cve.now
Affected versions
- Sonatype Nexus Repository 3
From 3.0.0 · fixed in 3.98.0
Evidence 2
- Advisory
- Patch
Corrections
None so far.
Something wrong on this page? Report an error. Every fix is listed here.
Questions about CVE-2026-113374
Is CVE-2026-113374 being exploited?
It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cve.now feed data
What does this mean?
An account that holds the capability-creation permission but is not an administrator can create a capability that lets it act as any existing user, including administrators. The attacker needs no credentials once that capability exists.Source: support.sonatype.com
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-113374?
Nexus Repository 3: from 3.0.0 before 3.98.0.Source: cve.now feed data
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE and Pro versions 3.0.0 up to and including 3.97.x are in scope. The setup also requires an account holding nexus:capabilities:create without administrator access, and remote clients must be able to reach the instance over the network. Compare your installed version against that range and review which accounts hold that permission.Source: support.sonatype.com
How do I fix CVE-2026-113374?
Upgrade to Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE or Pro version 3.98.0 or later.Source: support.sonatype.com