Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-50290

Info Disclosure in Apache Solr 9.0.0 – 9.3.0

Published
15 January 2024
Modified
09 May 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.68 99.3th percentile
Risk Priority 76 floored blend · peak EPSS

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, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Token Impersonation/Theft (T1134.001); 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

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…

more

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

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1134.001 Token Impersonation/Theft Stealth
Adversaries may duplicate then impersonate another user's existing token to escalate privileges and bypass access controls.
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.002 Credentials in Registry Credential Access
Adversaries may search the Registry on compromised systems for insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.004 Private Keys Credential Access
Adversaries may search for private key certificate files on compromised systems for insecurely stored credentials.
T1615 Group Policy Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may gather information on Group Policy settings to identify paths for privilege escalation, security measures applied within a domain, and to discover patterns in domain objects that can be manipulated or used to blend in the…
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-50298Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2023-50292Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2023-50291Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2026-22022Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2026-31909Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2024-39676Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-55673Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2024-45216Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2026-25219Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-30675Same vendor: Apache

Affected Assets

apache
solr
9.0.0 — 9.3.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 7 hardening rules · 6 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V10.4.9
  • V11.7.1
  • V14.1.2
  • V14.2.4

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 (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

PR.AA-05 directly enforces least-privilege authorization that blocks most unauthorized disclosures, yet CWE-200 also arises from logging, error messages, and side-channel paths that access controls alone do not address.

PR.DS-10 mostly match
prevents

PR.DS-10 mostly prevents CWE-200 by directly eliminating unauthorized access to sensitive data-in-use, yet only partially addresses the weakness because CWE-200 spans many other exposure vectors outside runtime protection.

PR.IR-01 mostly match
prevents

PR.IR-01's segmentation/zero-trust controls largely eliminate network-level unauthorized access paths that enable exposure, yet CWE-200 spans many additional vectors (API responses, logs, app logic) that network controls alone cannot close.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices catch most exposure flaws via design, testing and release controls, yet CWE-200 spans runtime/config issues a single development outcome cannot fully close.

PR.AA-01 partial match
prevents

PR.AA-01 supplies proper credential lifecycle controls that reduce unauthorized access paths, yet leaves many other exposure vectors (error messages, logging, side channels, etc.) unaddressed.

PR.AA-03 partial match
prevents

Authentication verifies actor identity and is a prerequisite for access decisions, yet addresses only one facet of the broad set of exposure vectors in CWE-200.

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.

prevents

Restricting anonymous or unknown access and encrypting high-value information limits the exposure of sensitive data that would otherwise be obtainable by unauthorized actors.

prevents

Suppressing system details, error specifics, and previous log-on information until successful authentication reduces the information an unauthenticated attacker can gather.

prevents

By requiring owners to assign sensitivity labels and corresponding handling rules, the control ensures that information is not left unmarked and therefore reduces the chance that sensitive data will be exposed to unauthorized actors.

prevents

Requiring encryption, access controls, and recipient authentication for transfers directly reduces the chance that sensitive data reaches an unauthorized observer.

prevents

Secure delivery, protected storage, and confidentiality of allocation records limit exposure of authentication material to unauthorized observers.

prevents

Requiring defined procedures, assigned roles, and technical/organizational measures for handling PII reduces the chance that sensitive personal data will be exposed to unauthorized actors through inadequate handling or missing safeguards.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Ubuntu 22.04 (1 rule)
  • V-260470 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, when booted, must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. prevents CWE-200
Ubuntu 24.04 (2 rules)
  • V-270647 Ubuntu 24.04 LTS must not have the telnet package installed. prevents CWE-200
  • V-270675 Ubuntu 24.04 LTS when booted must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. prevents CWE-200
Windows 10 (1 rule)
  • V-220737 Administrative accounts must not be used with applications that access the Internet, such as web browsers, or with potential Internet sources, such as email. prevents CWE-200
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
  • V-224974 Domain-created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-200
Windows Server 2019 (1 rule)
  • V-205743 Windows Server 2019 organization created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-200
Windows Server 2022 (1 rule)
  • V-254395 Windows Server 2022 organization created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-200

References