JFrog Artifactory: 2 flaws used in attacks; attackers can gain admin rights
OFFICIAL NAMES: JFrog Artifactory Improper Authentication Vulnerability · JFrog Artifactory Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability
WHAT IT IS · DEVELOPER TOOLSIt holds source code and the keys used to build and ship software.
DO THIS FIRSTPatch it. If it faced the internet, change the keys and passwords stored in it. Not sure if you use it? Send this page to your IT provider or security lead and ask.
TECHNICAL SUMMARY JFrog Artifactory contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability that leads to a privilege escalation attack due to a validation check of the token signature/issuer and not the token’s scope.
WHY THIS VERDICT Attacks are confirmed. The vulnerability is 90 days old, so many systems are likely still unpatched. Ready-made attack tools are public.
WHY IT RANKS HERE Exploitation is confirmed by an authoritative source. Ready-made attack tools are public.
- HIGHEST CONFIRMED RUNG
- EXPLOITED
- CISA KEV
- LISTED
- EXPLOIT CODE
- READY TO USE
How far has it climbed?
01 TALK
□ NO EVIDENCE YETNEWEST EVIDENCE NONE YETNo evidence yet.
SRC: NONE YET02 EXPOSED
□ NOT TRACKED YETNO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YETWe have no source that counts exposed systems yet. Internet scan data needs a partnership we do not have. No evidence here does not mean nothing is exposed.
03 TRIED
■ CONFIRMEDNEWEST EVIDENCE · 2 INDEPENDENT SOURCESAttacks that worked are confirmed (step 4), so attempts count as confirmed too.
- SRC: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability · SEP 10
- SRC: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Improper Authentication Vulnerability · SEP 10
- SRC: CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42018 as actively exploited · AUG 12
- SRC: CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42016 as actively exploited · JUL 27
04 EXPLOITED
■ CONFIRMEDNEWEST EVIDENCE · 2 INDEPENDENT SOURCESJFrog Artifactory contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability that leads to a privilege escalation attack due to a validation check of the token signature/issuer and not the token’s scope. JFrog Artifactory contains an improper authentication vulnerability that could return an internal anonymous-user token to an unauthenticated caller when anonymous access is disabled, potentially exposing sensitive resources.
- SRC: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability · SEP 10
- SRC: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Improper Authentication Vulnerability · SEP 10
- SRC: CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42018 as actively exploited · AUG 12
- SRC: CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42016 as actively exploited · JUL 27
05 DAMAGE
□ NOT TRACKED YETNO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YETBreach notices and filings rarely name the flaw that was used, so we cannot link them to this event yet. No evidence here does not mean no harm.
When each thing happened
- DISCLOSED
- EXPLOIT CODE PUBLIC
- FIRST ATTACK REPORT
- CISA KEV LISTING
- US FEDERAL DEADLINE
THE FIX
CISA's instruction: apply the vendor's fix, or stop using the product if no fix exists. The deadline CISA set for US federal agencies, Sep 25, 2026, has passed. It is a US government deadline; use it as a guide.
Questions to ask this week
- Do we run JFrog Artifactory? If yes, is it patched or cut off from the internet?
- Who owns fixing it, and by what date?
- Have we checked for signs of attack since the first report, not just since the patch?
How it unfolded
- Attack activity. JUL 27, 2026CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42016 as actively exploited
- Attack activity. AUG 12, 2026CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42018 as actively exploited
- Attack activity. SEP 10, 2026JFrog Artifactory Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability
- Attack activity. SEP 10, 2026JFrog Artifactory Improper Authentication Vulnerability
- SEP 17, 2026Vulnerability CVE-2026-42018 confirmed by a researcher (CIRCL sighting)
- NOV 7, 20261 public GitHub repository claims a proof of concept for CVE-2026-42016
- NOV 7, 2026Public proof of concept for CVE-2026-42016 (CIRCL sighting)
- NOV 7, 2026Public proof of concept for CVE-2026-42018 (CIRCL sighting)
SOURCES
- [1] nuclei-templates: Nuclei scan template: JFrog Artifactory - Anonymous Token Disclosure via Trailing Slash Auth Bypass, OCT 24
- [2] CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup sightings: Public proof of concept for CVE-2026-42016 (CIRCL sighting), NOV 7
- [3] PoC-in-GitHub: 1 public GitHub repository claims a proof of concept for CVE-2026-42016, NOV 7
- [4] CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup sightings: Vulnerability CVE-2026-42018 confirmed by a researcher (CIRCL sighting), SEP 17
- [5] CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability, SEP 10
- [6] CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: JFrog Artifactory Improper Authentication Vulnerability, SEP 10
- [7] CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42018 as actively exploited, AUG 12
- [8] CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment marks CVE-2026-42016 as actively exploited, JUL 27