How severe is GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7?

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 has a CVSS score of 5.9/10, rated MEDIUM. Review your exposure and patch according to your risk tolerance.

Which packages are affected by GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7?

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 affects the following packages: org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (Maven), org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (Maven), org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (Maven), org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7?

Update org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client to 2.7.14 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7?

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 0.4%, placing it in the 31th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7?

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 is classified as CWE-319 (CWE-319), CWE-522 (CWE-522). These weakness types describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 published, and has it been updated?

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 was published on August 28, 2026 and was last updated on September 10, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

MEDIUM severity

org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client has Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information and Insufficiently Protected CredentialsGHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7

MEDIUMFix: mariadb-corporation/mariadb-connector-j@a8599ab

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) CWE-319 vulnerability in org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client. A fix is available for org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Also known asCVE-2026-55857

Published

Aug 28, 2026

Updated

Sep 10, 2026

Affected

4 pkgs

Patched

4 / 4

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Oct 12, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

No confirmed exploitation observed yet

CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.

Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

0.4%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs31th percentile — riskier than 31% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.

Where this sits among everything scored

Of 385,987 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.

Real-World Exposure

4 pkgs affected

☕org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client☕org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client☕org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client☕org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

### 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 mysql_clear_password 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 the following hold:

You use mariadb Connector/J at a version below the patched release(s).
Connections can occur over an insecure transport — i.e. plain TCP (sslMode=DISABLE), or a TLS mode that establishes server identity only via self-signed-certificate fingerprint validation.
An attacker can occupy an on-path (MITM) position, or otherwise cause the client to connect to a server they control, and present an Authentication Switch Request for the dialog plugin.

Connections over properly verified TLS or a local Unix socket are not exposed to this vector.

Impact

Disclosure of the authenticating account's password in cleartext to an on-path or hostile server. The captured credentials can then be reused to authenticate to the database.

Patches

Fixed in 2.7.14, 3.3.5, 3.4.3, and 3.5.9. Upgrade to the patched release on your branch (3.5.x → 3.5.9, 3.4.x → 3.4.3, 3.0/3.1/3.2/3.3.x → 3.3.5, 2.x → 2.7.14). PAM (dialog) is now treated exactly like mysql_clear_password: it may only run over a secure transport. SendPamAuthPacketFactory overrides the secure-required flag to true, and the authentication dispatcher permits a secure-required plugin only when the connection is TLS or a local Unix socket. The pre-existing check that blocks non-MITM-proof plugins when server identity relies solely on self-signed-certificate fingerprint validation continues to apply. Net effect: PAM is allowed over TLS or a Unix socket, and rejected over plain TCP or fingerprint-only connections.

Workarounds

If you cannot upgrade immediately:

Connect over verified TLS (set sslMode=verify-full) so a man-in-the-middle cannot impersonate the server, or use a local Unix socket.
Restrict the permitted authentication plugins via restrictedAuth so dialog cannot be negotiated over an insecure transport.

Credit

Reported by Yalguun Tumenkhuu (@fg0x0).

Affected Packages

4 total 4 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client`	all versions	2.7.14`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client:2.7.14`
☕Maven	`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client`	≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.3.5	3.3.5`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client:3.3.5`
☕Maven	`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client`	≥ 3.4.0&&< 3.4.3	3.4.3`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client:3.4.3`
☕Maven	`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client`	≥ 3.5.0&&< 3.5.9	3.5.9`org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client:3.5.9`

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client to 2.7.14 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Fixing This On Your OS

If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.

Red HatModerate

MariaDB Connector/J (org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client) can be coerced by a hostile or man-in-the-middle server into performing PAM 'dialog' authentication over an unencrypted connection, transmitting the account password in cleartext. The affected path (SendPamAuthPacketFactory/SendPamAuthPacket) does not require…

Workaround published by Red Hat

Connect using sslMode=verify-full (or verify-ca) with a properly configured server certificate and trust store, or use a local Unix socket, so the connector never negotiates PAM dialog authentication over cleartext. Setting restrictedAuth to exclude the dialog/mysql_clear_password plugins also prevents disclosure. A fixed MariaDB Connector/J (2.7.14, 3.3.5, 3.4.3, or 3.5.9, as appropriate for the branch in use) additionally addresses the issue.

Source: Red Hat security advisory for GHSA-qxvw-fvwx-5cp7 (CC BY 4.0)

Frequently Asked Questions

### 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 mysql_clear_password 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