# CVE-2026-17599: Nexus Repository 3 - Unverified Onboarding State on change-admin-password Endpoint

> An attacker with nexus:* permission can change the administrator password outside onboarding, leading to privilege escalation and account takeover.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jffj-qrgg-8qm5, MINI-3phq-fmv3-r8gj, MINI-x44g-6w5c-chvp

## What is CVE-2026-17599?

CVE-2026-17599 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager, published on 7 Aug 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-620 (Unverified Password Change)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-17599?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-17599?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-17599 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-17599 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager

- [CVE-2019-7238](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7238/): Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager Incorrect Access Control (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-9629](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9629/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-17717](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17717/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-3199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3199/): Nexus Repository 3 - Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Task Property Injection (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-5189](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5189/): Nexus Repository 3 - Hardcoded Credential in Internal Database Component (critical 9.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-17599 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-17599 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager, published on 7 Aug 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-17599 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17599/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17599/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-17599
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-17599
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-17599

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17599/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.