📄 Description (English)
Sonatype Nexus Repository Remote Code Execution Vulnerability — Sonatype Nexus Repository contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for remote code execution.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2020-10199 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager with a CVSS score of 9.0. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated or authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to full server compromise. Active exploits are publicly available, significantly elevating the risk of exploitation in the wild. Organizations using Nexus Repository Manager for software artifact management must treat this as an urgent priority.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 17, 2026 23:55
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations heavily invested in DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and software development are at significant risk. Key sectors include: Government/NCA-regulated entities using Nexus for internal software distribution; Banking/SAMA-regulated institutions with development teams managing financial application artifacts; Energy sector (Saudi Aramco, SABIC) using Nexus in operational technology and software supply chain environments; Telecom providers (STC, Mobily, Zain) with large development teams; Healthcare organizations managing medical software repositories. Exploitation could lead to supply chain attacks where malicious code is injected into software artifacts distributed across the organization, amplifying the blast radius significantly beyond the initial compromise.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Banking
Energy
Telecom
Healthcare
Defense
Technology
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.0
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all instances of Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager in your environment (versions 3.x prior to 3.21.2 and 2.x prior to 2.14.16)
2. Isolate internet-facing Nexus instances immediately if patching cannot be done within 24 hours
3. Review access logs for suspicious activity indicating prior exploitation
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Upgrade Nexus Repository Manager 3.x to version 3.21.2 or later
2. Upgrade Nexus Repository Manager 2.x to version 2.14.16 or later
3. Download patches from official Sonatype support portal
4. Test in staging environment before production deployment
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if patching is delayed):
1. Restrict network access to Nexus instances using firewall rules — allow only trusted internal IP ranges
2. Disable anonymous access to Nexus Repository Manager
3. Enforce strong authentication and MFA for all Nexus accounts
4. Place Nexus behind a WAF with rules targeting EL injection and OGNL expression attacks
5. Monitor and alert on unusual outbound connections from Nexus servers
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor HTTP POST requests with unusual payloads containing EL expressions (${...} patterns)
2. Alert on unexpected process spawning from Nexus JVM processes
3. Create SIEM rules for unusual outbound network connections from Nexus servers
4. Monitor for file creation/modification in Nexus installation directories by non-admin users
5. Enable and review Nexus audit logs for unauthorized API calls
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع نسخ Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager في بيئتك (الإصدارات 3.x قبل 3.21.2 والإصدارات 2.x قبل 2.14.16)
2. عزل نسخ Nexus المكشوفة على الإنترنت فوراً إذا تعذّر التصحيح خلال 24 ساعة
3. مراجعة سجلات الوصول للكشف عن أي نشاط مشبوه يدل على استغلال سابق
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. ترقية Nexus Repository Manager 3.x إلى الإصدار 3.21.2 أو أحدث
2. ترقية Nexus Repository Manager 2.x إلى الإصدار 2.14.16 أو أحدث
3. تنزيل التحديثات من بوابة دعم Sonatype الرسمية
4. اختبار التحديثات في بيئة التجهيز قبل النشر في الإنتاج
ضوابط التعويض (في حال تأخر التصحيح):
1. تقييد الوصول الشبكي لنسخ Nexus باستخدام قواعد جدار الحماية
2. تعطيل الوصول المجهول إلى Nexus Repository Manager
3. فرض المصادقة القوية والمصادقة متعددة العوامل لجميع حسابات Nexus
4. وضع Nexus خلف جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب مع قواعد تستهدف هجمات حقن EL
5. مراقبة الاتصالات الصادرة غير المعتادة من خوادم Nexus
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة طلبات HTTP POST التي تحتوي على حمولات غير عادية تتضمن تعبيرات EL
2. التنبيه على إنشاء عمليات غير متوقعة من عمليات Nexus JVM
3. إنشاء قواعد SIEM للاتصالات الشبكية الصادرة غير المعتادة من خوادم Nexus
4. مراقبة إنشاء الملفات أو تعديلها في مجلدات تثبيت Nexus
5. تفعيل ومراجعة سجلات تدقيق Nexus للكشف عن استدعاءات API غير مصرح بها
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC-1-4-2: Cybersecurity Vulnerability Management
ECC-1-3-7: Patch Management
ECC-2-3-1: Application Security
ECC-1-4-4: Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment
ECC-2-2-1: Network Security Controls
🔵 SAMA CSF
3.3.4: Vulnerability Management
3.3.5: Patch Management
3.2.5: Application Security
3.3.6: Penetration Testing
3.4.2: Incident Management
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.6.1: Management of Technical Vulnerabilities
A.14.2.2: System Change Control Procedures
A.14.1.2: Securing Application Services
A.16.1.1: Responsibilities and Procedures for Incident Management
A.12.4.1: Event Logging
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
Requirement 6.3.3: All system components are protected from known vulnerabilities
Requirement 6.2.4: Software engineering techniques to prevent common vulnerabilities
Requirement 11.3.1: Internal vulnerability scanning
Requirement 12.10.1: Incident response plan
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Sonatype:Nexus Repository