CVE-2019-7238Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vectorHinoki check available

Unauthenticated code execution via unchecked JEXL evaluation

Published Mar 21, 2019 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Code injection in Sonatype Nexus Repository before 3.15.0 allows remote attackers to execute Java code via crafted HTTP requests. The ComponentComponent.previewAssets RPC at /service/extdirect evaluates an attacker-supplied JEXL expression without adequate access controls, allowing calls to Java runtime methods. Exploitation requires network access and at least one repository asset; execution occurs within the server process, without authentication or user interaction.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability76.63%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Contact us

Summary

What happened

Code injection in Sonatype Nexus Repository before 3.15.0 allows remote attackers to execute Java code via crafted HTTP requests. The ComponentComponent.previewAssets RPC at /service/extdirect evaluates an attacker-supplied JEXL expression without adequate access controls, allowing calls to Java runtime methods. Exploitation requires network access and at least one repository asset; execution occurs within the server process, without authentication or user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-7238
Published
Mar 21, 2019
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Sonatype
Product
Nexus Repository
Classifications
T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 21, 2019CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Sonatype · Nexus Repositoryversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 20269
Sep 23, 20262
Sep 24, 20267
Sep 25, 202612
Sep 26, 20265
Sep 27, 202617
Sep 28, 20268
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs8
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Contact us