CVE-2026-11403
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager's format-specific API key generation may allow a remote attacker to gain unauthorized access to repository operations as a targeted user. A format-specific API key realm (NuGet API Key, Docker Bearer Token, or npm Bearer Token) must be enabled and the targeted user must have an active API key for this vulnerability to be exploitable.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceFormat-specific API key generation in Sonatype Nexus Repository Manager contains an authentication bypass that allows a remote attacker to generate valid API keys and impersonate targeted users who have active API keys. The vulnerability affects NuGet API Key, Docker Bearer Token, and npm Bearer Token realms when enabled.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- Authentication
- X
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify if Nexus Repository Manager is installedCheck for Nexus process running on common ports (8081, 8443) or look for installation directories like /opt/sonatype/nexus, /nexus, or C:\Program Files\Sonatype\Nexus3Affected if Nexus Repository Manager is running and accessible on the network
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Determine the installed Nexus versionAccess the Nexus web UI and check Administration > System > Information for the version number, or query the /service/rest/v1/status endpoint via APIAffected if Version is unpatched and falls within the vulnerable range for this CVE
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Check which authentication realms are enabledIn the Nexus web UI, go to Administration > Security > Realms and inspect the Active list. Specifically look for 'NuGet API Key Realm', 'Docker Bearer Token Realm', and 'npm Bearer Token Realm'Affected if Any of the three format-specific realms (NuGet, Docker, npm) are enabled in the Active Realms list
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Inspect existing API keys in the systemIn the Nexus web UI, go to Administration > Security > Users > select a user > API Key tab, or use the REST API GET /service/rest/v1/users/{username}/apikey endpoint to enumerate API keysAffected if Any user accounts have active API keys generated in the system
A user is affected if they run a vulnerable Nexus Repository Manager version AND have one or more of the NuGet API Key, Docker Bearer Token, or npm Bearer Token realms enabled with active user API keys present.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataDisable unused format-specific API key realms (NuGet, Docker, npm) in Nexus administration settings and apply vendor patches when available. Review user API key access and rotate keys if suspicious activity is detected.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-11403 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-11403 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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