Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-50290 is a medium-severity Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CWE-200) vulnerability in Apache Solr. Its CVSS base score is 6.5 (Medium).
Operationally, ranked in the top 0.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and AC-4 (Information Flow Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2023-50290 is an information exposure vulnerability in Apache Solr versions 9.0.0 through 9.2.x. The Solr Metrics API exposes all environment variables visible to the Solr process by default, even though administrators can configure a list of variables to suppress; the default suppression list only covers known Java system properties and does not account for host-level environment variables that may contain secrets.
An attacker who obtains the “metrics-read” permission—either through legitimate authorization or by compromising an account that holds it—can query the Metrics API and retrieve the full set of environment variables, resulting in disclosure of sensitive host configuration data. Because the API is network-accessible, the attack can be performed remotely without user interaction once the permission is held.
The Apache Solr security advisory recommends upgrading to version 9.3.0 or later, in which the Metrics API no longer publishes environment variables. The current EPSS score of 0.93 indicates sustained exploitation interest following disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-0354
Vulnerability Data
Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Apache Solr. The Solr Metrics API publishes all unprotected environment variables available to each Apache Solr instance. Users are able to specify which environment variables to hide, however, the default…
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list is designed to work for known secret Java system properties. Environment variables cannot be strictly defined in Solr, like Java system properties can be, and may be set for the entire host, unlike Java system properties which are set per-Java-proccess. The Solr Metrics API is protected by the "metrics-read" permission. Therefore, Solr Clouds with Authorization setup will only be vulnerable via users with the "metrics-read" permission. This issue affects Apache Solr: from 9.0.0 before 9.3.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 9.3.0 or later, in which environment variables are not published via the Metrics API.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Access enforcement directly stops unauthorized actors from obtaining sensitive information.
Information flow enforcement structurally prevents sensitive data from reaching unauthorized recipients.
Protection of information at rest prevents unauthorized exposure of stored sensitive data.
Transmission confidentiality mechanisms stop exposure of sensitive data on the wire.
Least privilege reduces the set of actors who can reach sensitive information.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
A.5.10 only requires awareness, a topic-specific acceptable-use policy stating expected behaviours/monitoring, and procedures referencing classification and other controls; per the owner's explicit rule on labelling and similar dependency-style clauses, this does not itself prevent exposure (CWE-200) unless access/DLP/etc. act on it.
Requiring the return of all physical and electronic assets plus secure deletion of organizational data from personal devices reduces the chance that sensitive information remains accessible to departing personnel.
A.5.12 only defines and communicates a classification scheme so that protection needs can be understood; per the owner's explicit rule, labeling/classification does not itself prevent exposure and requires other controls (e.g. access enforcement) to act on it.
By requiring classification labels and metadata on all information assets, the control makes it harder for sensitive data to be inadvertently exposed because downstream systems and users can recognize and enforce handling rules based on those labels.
Requiring encryption, access controls, and recipient authentication for transfers directly reduces the chance that sensitive data reaches an unauthorized observer.
Secure delivery, protected storage, and confidentiality of allocation records limit exposure of authentication material to unauthorized observers.
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.