Summary
Apache Solr can leak certain passwords due to System Property redaction logic inconsistencies
Full technical description
Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerability in Apache Solr.
This issue affects Apache Solr from 6.0.0 through 8.11.2, from 9.0.0 before 9.3.0.
One of the two endpoints that publishes the Solr process' Java system properties, /admin/info/properties, was only setup to hide system properties that had "password" contained in the name.
There are a number of sensitive system properties, such as "basicauth" and "aws.secretKey" do not contain "password", thus their values were published via the "/admin/info/properties" endpoint.
This endpoint populates the list of System Properties on the home screen of the Solr Admin page, making the exposed credentials visible in the UI.
This /admin/info/properties endpoint is protected under the "config-read" permission.
Therefore, Solr Clouds with Authorization enabled will only be vulnerable through logged-in users that have the "config-read" permission.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 9.3.0 or 8.11.3, both of which fix the issue.
A single option now controls hiding Java system property for all endpoints, "-Dsolr.hiddenSysProps".
By default all known sensitive properties are hidden (including "-Dbasicauth"), as well as any property with a name containing "secret" or "password".
Users who cannot upgrade can also use the following Java system property to fix the issue:
-Dsolr.redaction.system.pattern=.*(password|secret|basicauth).*
Impact
CVE-2023-50291 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (8.11.3, 9.3.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
org.apache.solr:solr-core to 8.11.3 or later; org.apache.solr:solr-core to 9.3.0 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-50291? CVE-2023-50291 is a high-severity security vulnerability in org.apache.solr:solr-core (maven), affecting versions >= 6.0.0, < 8.11.3. It is fixed in 8.11.3, 9.3.0.
- How severe is CVE-2023-50291? CVE-2023-50291 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.apache.solr:solr-core are affected by CVE-2023-50291? org.apache.solr:solr-core (maven) versions >= 6.0.0, < 8.11.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-50291? Yes. CVE-2023-50291 is fixed in 8.11.3, 9.3.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-50291 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-50291 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-50291 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-50291?
- Upgrade
org.apache.solr:solr-coreto 8.11.3 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.solr:solr-coreto 9.3.0 or later
- Upgrade