Azure DevOps pipeline failed to connect to a repository

heng yeow (nova) 90

My Azure DevOps pipeline failed today when it was performing a Maven build command: mvn clean install

I didn't change anything to the pipeline and it is still working fine at today 3.00am, below is the Maven steps from the .yml file

It seems Azure DevOps failed to connect to the repository, please advise

  - powershell: |
      $env:MAVEN_HOME = "$(Agent.TempDirectory)\maven\apache-maven"
      $env:PATH = "$env:MAVEN_HOME\bin;$env:PATH"
      Write-Host ">>> Run Maven Build"
      mvn clean install "-Dmaven.repo.local=$(Pipeline.Workspace)\.m2"
    displayName: 'Build Project with mvn clean install'

The error message initially:

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal on project spd: Could not resolve dependencies for project spd:spd:pom:1.0: Failed to collect dependencies at org.apache.wss4j:wss4j-ws-security-common:jar:4.0.0 -> org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:jar:5.1.3: Failed to read artifact descriptor for org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:jar:5.1.3: Could not transfer artifact org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:pom:5.1.3 from/to B_shibboleth (https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public): Transfer failed for https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public/org/opensaml/opensaml-saml-impl/5.1.3/opensaml-saml-impl-5.1.3.pom: Connect to build.shibboleth.net:443 [build.shibboleth.net/3.213.250.186] failed: Connection timed out: connect -> [Help 1]

After re-triggering a few times:

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal on project spd: Could not resolve dependencies for project spd:spd:pom:1.0: Failed to collect dependencies at org.apache.wss4j:wss4j-ws-security-common:jar:4.0.0 -> org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:jar:5.1.3: Failed to read artifact descriptor for org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:jar:5.1.3: Could not transfer artifact org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:pom:5.1.3 from/to B_shibboleth (https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public): Authorization failed for https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public/org/opensaml/opensaml-saml-impl/5.1.3/opensaml-saml-impl-5.1.3.pom 403 Forbidden -> [Help 1]

For reference, in my pom.xml, it has this dependency:

<dependency>
      <groupId>org.apache.wss4j</groupId>
      <artifactId>wss4j-ws-security-common</artifactId>
      <version>4.0.0</version>
</dependency>

Pravallika KV 18,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-15T04:17:10.1033333+00:00
Hi @heng yeow (nova) ,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

It looks like Maven is unable to download a dependency from your external Shibboleth Nexus repo (build.shibboleth.net): first it times out, and then you see a 403 Forbidden. That usually means either network/connectivity issues or missing/invalid credentials for that repository.

Here's steps to troubleshoot and work around it:

Verify network connectivity

Add a quick script step before your Maven task to see if the host is reachable. For example, on a Windows agent:
Test-NetConnection build.shibboleth.net -Port 443
Or use curl -v https://build.shibboleth.net to debug.

Check for proxy/firewall restrictions

If you’re on a self-hosted agent (VMSS or on-prem), make sure it can reach the internet.

If you must go through a corporate proxy, set the environment variables HTTP_PROXY/HTTPS_PROXY, or pass Maven JVM flags like -Dhttp.proxyHost=… -Dhttp.proxyPort=….

Confirm repository credentials

A 403 means your repository requires authentication. Make sure your Maven settings.xml includes a <server> entry with an <id> that matches the id of your Nexus repo (here it looks like B_shibboleth) and valid <username>/<password>.

In pipelines you can store these credentials as secure variables and either:

Check a settings.xml file into your repo and reference it: mvn --settings my-settings.xml clean install

Or inject them dynamically (for instance, with a templated settings.xml that reads pipeline variables).

You can set up an Azure Artifacts Maven feed, configure it to pull upstream from your Shibboleth Nexus, and then point your pipeline there. This gives you more reliable caching and authentication via Azure DevOps.
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heng yeow (nova) 90 Reputation points

2026-04-15T06:51:41.1733333+00:00
Hi Pravallika,

My pipeline is not using self-hosted agent, can you check why suddently Azure pipeline unable to connect to Shibboleth repo?

pool: vmImage: 'windows-latest'

Answer accepted by question author

Alex Burlachenko 25,115 MVP Volunteer Moderator

heng yeow (nova) hi and thx for join us here at Q&A portal,

so quick and simple )))) yeah this is not Azure DevOps breaking, its ur external repo (pipeline fine external repo either down or blocking u) ... key line is build.shibboleth.net ... timeout / 403, so Maven cant fetch dependency build fails

first it was timeout > network / repo down then 403 > repo now blocking access, so yeah nothing changed in ur pipeline, upstream repo changed or rate-limited u. U see that repo is not Maven Central, its custom Nexus they often block anonymous access or change permissions or throttle requests.

From my point of view the best fix isstop relying on that repo directly, add mirror or move dependency to Maven Central if possible or cache dependencies. retry sometimes works if its rate limit / temp block or use internal repo (Azure Artifacts / Nexus / Artifactory) so ur pipeline pulls from cache, not internet.

But if u must use that repo u probably now need auth (settings.xml with credentials).

rgds,

Alex

&pls if it helps accept my answer

heng yeow (nova) 90 Reputation points

2026-04-15T14:23:30.04+00:00

Thanks Alex, we found that it is not Azure DevOps issue, and we have removed that dependency since the application does not use it.

Answer accepted by question author

Pravallika KV 18,850 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @heng yeow (nova) ,

As you mentioned, this isn't actually an Azure DevOps issue; it’s a dependency repository problem that just surfaced during your pipeline run.

Even though you only declared:

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.apache.wss4j</groupId>
  <artifactId>wss4j-ws-security-common</artifactId>
  <version>4.0.0</version>
</dependency>

it pulls a transitive dependency:

org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:5.1.3

And Maven is resolving it from:

B_shibboleth → https://build.shibboleth.net/...

That means somewhere you have a <repository> entry in pom.xml OR settings.xmlOR parent POM

Check your pom.xml or settings.xml and remove the Shibboleth repository completely

<repository>
  <id>B_shibboleth</id>
  <url>https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public</url>
</repository>

org.opensaml:opensaml-saml-impl:5.1.3 is already in Maven Central, so Maven will automatically resolve it from:

https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2

No need for Shibboleth repo anymore.

heng yeow (nova) 90 Reputation points

2026-04-15T14:24:01.3133333+00:00

Thanks Pravallika, we found that it is not an Azure DevOps issue, and we have removed that dependency since the application does not use it.
Pravallika KV 18,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-15T15:12:55.4633333+00:00

@heng yeow (nova) Thanks for the confirmation. If the resolution was helpful, kindly take a moment to click on and click on Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

1 additional answer

Rod Widdowson 0 Reputation points

2026-04-15T13:13:00.46+00:00

build.shibboleth.net is being DDOSd so that repo is offline and may stay like that.
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Azure DevOps pipeline failed to connect to a repository

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