Privilege Escalation via Wildcard Permission Modification

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-17601 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository 3. A user with permission to update privilege definitions can modify a wildcard privilege assigned to their role to gain broader permissions, including full administrative access, without additional checks or role changes. This occurs due to missing authorization (CWE-862).

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Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check for users with privilege-update permissions in Sonatype Nexus Repository 3 versions 3.19.0 through 3.94.x. Review roles with wildcard privileges and verify if any unauthorized modifications were made to privilege definitions. Look for signs of privilege escalation attempts or unusual administrative access.

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Impact Analysis

If exploited, an attacker with existing access could escalate their privileges to administrator level, potentially gaining full control over the Nexus Repository instance. This could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data, system manipulation, or disruption of services.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, violating compliance requirements for GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations. It undermines access control and auditability, increasing legal and regulatory risks for affected organizations.

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediately restrict the privilege-update permission to trusted administrators only. Upgrade to Sonatype Nexus Repository version 3.95.0 or later to fully resolve the issue. Monitor for any suspicious privilege changes or unauthorized administrative access.

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