org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client has Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information and Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

5.9 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2026-55857: 0.39% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 33.21 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary When PAM (dialog) authentication is used, the connector can be coerced into sending the account password in cleartext over an insecure connection. A hostile or man-in-the-middle server can trigger this with the default configuration, disclosing the user's password. Details The mysqlclearpassword plugin is gated behind a secure connection: the driver refuses to transmit the password in cleartext over plain TCP. The sibling PAM plugin handler (SendPamAuthPacketFactory, server-side plugin name dialog) did not override that gate and inherited the default value false, so it was not subject to the same secure-transport requirement. As a result, a hostile or man-in-the-middle server can issue an Authentication Switch Request for the dialog plugin over plain TCP, and the driver responds with the user's password in cleartext. With the default configuration (sslMode=DISABLE, restrictedAuth=null) this is reachable with no non-default options. Am I affected? You are affected if all of…

Published by the source

28 Aug 2026, 22:45 UTC

Last modified by the source

10 Sep 2026, 03:50 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:55 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-55857

Advisory: org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client has Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information and Insufficiently Protected Credentials
IDs: CVE-2026-55857, GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-55857 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:55 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.9)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client 3.5.9, 3.4.3, 3.3.5, 2.7.14. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client: affected < 2.7.14; >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.5; >= 3.4.0, < 3.4.3; >= 3.5.0, < 3.5.9; fixed in 3.5.9, 3.3.5, 2.7.14, 3.4.3

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 (OSV record GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 lists affected ranges: Maven org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client >=0 =3.0.0 =3.4.0 =3.5.0 <3.5.9 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 lists affected ranges: Maven org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client >=0 =3.0.0 =3.4.0 =3.5.0 <3.5.9)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.