CVE-2023-26269
Apache James server: Privilege escalation through unauthenticated JMX
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user.
Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password.
Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user.
Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password.
Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
CVE-2023-26269- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List
Apache James server: Privilege escalation through unauthenticated JMX
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user.
Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password.
Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
CVE-2023-26269- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-1405
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user.
Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password.
Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
EUVD-2023-1405- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w7r6-v4j7-h94w
Apache James server's JMX management service vulnerable to privilege escalation by local user
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user. Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password. Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
GHSA-w7r6-v4j7-h94w- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Apache James server: Privilege escalation through unauthenticated JMX
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user.
Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password.
Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
CVE-2023-26269- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-w7r6-v4j7-h94w
Apache James server's JMX management service vulnerable to privilege escalation by local user
Apache James server version 3.7.3 and earlier provides a JMX management service without authentication by default. This allows privilege escalation by a malicious local user. Administrators are advised to disable JMX, or set up a JMX password. Note that version 3.7.4 onward will set up a JMX password automatically for Guice users.
- Record
GHSA-w7r6-v4j7-h94w- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.james:javax-mail-extensionMaven |
before 3.7.4 | 3.7.4 |
org.apache.james:javax-mail-extensionMaven |
before 3.7.4, plus listed versions 3.1.03.2.03.3.03.4.03.5.0 Show 6 moreShow less3.6.03.6.23.7.03.7.13.7.23.7.3 |
3.7.4 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | mbadanoiu/CVE-2023-26269 | 2023-11-23 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-26269 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Apache James, published April 3, 2023. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.65%, the 51st percentile. Fixed in org.apache.james:javax-mail-extension 3.7.4.