CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2021-26291 — Apache Maven security vulnerability

Critical CVSS 9.1

Apache Maven will follow repositories that are defined in a dependency’s Project Object Model (pom) which may be surprising to some users, resulting in potential risk if a malicious actor takes over that repository or is able to insert themselves into a position to pretend to be that repository. Maven is changing the default behavior in 3.8.1+ to no longer follow http (non-SSL) repository references by default. More details available in the referenced urls. If you are currently using a repository manager to govern the repositories used by your builds, you are unaffected by the risks present in the legacy behavior, and are unaffected by this vulnerability and change to default behavior. See this link for more information about repository management: https://maven.apache.org/repository-management.html

Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.1 (3.1)
Published
2021-04-23
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
java/maven
Weaknesses
CWE-346

Affected products

  • apache / maven
  • quarkus / quarkus
  • oracle / financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure
  • oracle / goldengate_big_data_and_application_adapters / 23.1

Showing 4 representative product identities from 5 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

General vulnerability remediation

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Confirm the affected component, deployment paths, reachable interfaces, and enabled features from inventories and configuration, without probing production destructively.
  • Compare the advisory's affected conditions with the repository lockfiles, build manifests, artifacts, and runtime inventory.
  • Identify data sensitivity, trust boundaries, and privilege level for every confirmed affected deployment.

Remediate safely

  • Apply a vendor-supported fix or remove the affected component or feature; record the selected change and its source in the repository.
  • Update direct and transitive dependency locks, generated artifacts, deployment manifests, and asset inventories together.
  • Add a regression test for the documented unsafe condition using inert inputs and preserve rollback instructions.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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