diff --git a/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nexus/NexusSearch.java b/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nexus/NexusSearch.java
index 183a9f57c..1e9d5b9c7 100644
--- a/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nexus/NexusSearch.java
+++ b/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nexus/NexusSearch.java
@@ -40,20 +40,26 @@ import org.w3c.dom.Document;
 public class NexusSearch {
 
     /**
-     * The root URL for the Nexus repository service
+     * The root URL for the Nexus repository service.
      */
     private final URL rootURL;
 
     /**
-     * Whether to use the Proxy when making requests
+     * Whether to use the Proxy when making requests.
      */
     private boolean useProxy;
-
+    /**
+     * The username to use if the Nexus requires authentication.
+     */
+    private String userName = null;
+    /**
+     * The password to use if the Nexus requires authentication.
+     */
+    private char[] password;
     /**
      * Used for logging.
      */
-    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(NexusSearch.class
-            .getName());
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(NexusSearch.class.getName());
 
     /**
      * Creates a NexusSearch for the given repository URL.
@@ -68,9 +74,23 @@ public class NexusSearch {
                     && Settings.getBoolean(Settings.KEYS.ANALYZER_NEXUS_PROXY)) {
                 useProxy = true;
                 LOGGER.fine("Using proxy");
+                if (Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.ANALYZER_NEXUS_USER) != null) {
+                    LOGGER.fine("Unable to use nexus authentication while using a proxy. Consider disabling the use of a proxy with Nexus.");
+                }
             } else {
                 useProxy = false;
                 LOGGER.fine("Not using proxy");
+                userName = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.ANALYZER_NEXUS_USER);
+                String tmp = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.ANALYZER_NEXUS_PASSWORD);
+                if (tmp != null) {
+                    password = tmp.toCharArray();
+                } else {
+                    if (userName != null) {
+                        userName = null;
+                        LOGGER.fine("Nexus password is not set yet user name was configured. Disabling the use of authentication for Nexus.");
+                    }
+                }
+
             }
         } catch (InvalidSettingException ise) {
             useProxy = false;
@@ -98,9 +118,13 @@ public class NexusSearch {
         // Determine if we need to use a proxy. The rules:
         // 1) If the proxy is set, AND the setting is set to true, use the proxy
         // 2) Otherwise, don't use the proxy (either the proxy isn't configured,
-        // or proxy is specifically
-        // set to false
-        final HttpURLConnection conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(url, useProxy);
+        // or proxy is specifically set to false
+        HttpURLConnection conn;
+        if (useProxy && userName == null) {
+            conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(url, useProxy);
+        } else {
+            conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(url, userName, password);
+        }
 
         conn.setDoOutput(true);
 
@@ -163,8 +187,14 @@ public class NexusSearch {
      * @return whether the repository is listening and returns the /status URL correctly
      */
     public boolean preflightRequest() {
+        HttpURLConnection conn;
         try {
-            final HttpURLConnection conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(new URL(rootURL, "status"), useProxy);
+            URL url = new URL(rootURL, "status");
+            if (useProxy && userName == null) {
+                conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(url, useProxy);
+            } else {
+                conn = URLConnectionFactory.createHttpURLConnection(url, userName, password);
+            }
             conn.addRequestProperty("Accept", "application/xml");
             conn.connect();
             if (conn.getResponseCode() != 200) {
diff --git a/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/Settings.java b/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/Settings.java
index db55a7885..89c94a7de 100644
--- a/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/Settings.java
+++ b/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/Settings.java
@@ -103,13 +103,13 @@ public final class Settings {
          */
         public static final String CVE_META_URL = "cve.url.meta";
         /**
-         * The properties key for the URL to retrieve the recently modified and added CVE entries (last 8 days) using
-         * the 2.0 schema.
+         * The properties key for the URL to retrieve the recently modified and added CVE entries (last 8 days) using the 2.0
+         * schema.
          */
         public static final String CVE_MODIFIED_20_URL = "cve.url-2.0.modified";
         /**
-         * The properties key for the URL to retrieve the recently modified and added CVE entries (last 8 days) using
-         * the 1.2 schema.
+         * The properties key for the URL to retrieve the recently modified and added CVE entries (last 8 days) using the 1.2
+         * schema.
          */
         public static final String CVE_MODIFIED_12_URL = "cve.url-1.2.modified";
         /**
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ public final class Settings {
          */
         public static final String CVE_MODIFIED_VALID_FOR_DAYS = "cve.url.modified.validfordays";
         /**
-         * The properties key for the telling us how many cve.url.* URLs exists. This is used in combination with
-         * CVE_BASE_URL to be able to retrieve the URLs for all of the files that make up the NVD CVE listing.
+         * The properties key for the telling us how many cve.url.* URLs exists. This is used in combination with CVE_BASE_URL to
+         * be able to retrieve the URLs for all of the files that make up the NVD CVE listing.
          */
         public static final String CVE_START_YEAR = "cve.startyear";
         /**
@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ public final class Settings {
          * The properties key for using the proxy to reach Nexus.
          */
         public static final String ANALYZER_NEXUS_PROXY = "analyzer.nexus.proxy";
+        /**
+         * The properties key for the Nexus user name.
+         */
+        public static final String ANALYZER_NEXUS_USER = "analyzer.nexus.user";
+        /**
+         * The properties key for the Nexus user's password.
+         */
+        public static final String ANALYZER_NEXUS_PASSWORD = "analyzer.nexus.password";
         /**
          * The properties key for whether the Central analyzer is enabled.
          */
@@ -297,16 +305,16 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Initializes the thread local settings object. Note, to use the settings object you must call this method.
-     * However, you must also call Settings.cleanup() to properly release resources.
+     * Initializes the thread local settings object. Note, to use the settings object you must call this method. However, you must
+     * also call Settings.cleanup() to properly release resources.
      */
     public static void initialize() {
         localSettings.set(new Settings(PROPERTIES_FILE));
     }
 
     /**
-     * Initializes the thread local settings object. Note, to use the settings object you must call this method.
-     * However, you must also call Settings.cleanup() to properly release resources.
+     * Initializes the thread local settings object. Note, to use the settings object you must call this method. However, you must
+     * also call Settings.cleanup() to properly release resources.
      *
      * @param propertiesFilePath the path to the base properties file to load
      */
@@ -423,8 +431,8 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided
-     * properties file.<br/><br/>
+     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided properties
+     * file.<br/><br/>
      * Note: even if using this method - system properties will be loaded before properties loaded from files.
      *
      * @param filePath the path to the properties file to merge.
@@ -448,8 +456,8 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided
-     * properties file.<br/><br/>
+     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided properties
+     * file.<br/><br/>
      * Note: even if using this method - system properties will be loaded before properties loaded from files.
      *
      * @param filePath the path to the properties file to merge.
@@ -473,8 +481,8 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided
-     * properties file.<br/><br/>
+     * Merges a new properties file into the current properties. This method allows for the loading of a user provided properties
+     * file.<br/><br/>
      * Note: even if using this method - system properties will be loaded before properties loaded from files.
      *
      * @param stream an Input Stream pointing at a properties file to merge
@@ -486,9 +494,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a value from the properties file as a File object. If the value was specified as a system property or
-     * passed in via the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the
-     * values in the contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a value from the properties file as a File object. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via
+     * the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained
+     * configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file converted to a File object
@@ -502,13 +510,13 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a value from the properties file as a File object. If the value was specified as a system property or
-     * passed in via the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the
-     * values in the contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a value from the properties file as a File object. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via
+     * the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained
+     * configuration file.
      *
-     * This method will check the configured base directory and will use this as the base of the file path.
-     * Additionally, if the base directory begins with a leading "[JAR]\" sequence with the path to the folder
-     * containing the JAR file containing this class.
+     * This method will check the configured base directory and will use this as the base of the file path. Additionally, if the
+     * base directory begins with a leading "[JAR]\" sequence with the path to the folder containing the JAR file containing this
+     * class.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file converted to a File object
@@ -553,9 +561,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
-     * -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
-     * contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the -Dprop=value
+     * argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained configuration
+     * file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @param defaultValue the default value for the requested property
@@ -591,9 +599,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
-     * -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
-     * contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the -Dprop=value
+     * argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained configuration
+     * file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file
@@ -612,9 +620,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns an int value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via
-     * the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
-     * contained configuration file.
+     * Returns an int value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
+     * -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained
+     * configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file
@@ -631,14 +639,14 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns an int value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via
-     * the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
-     * contained configuration file.
+     * Returns an int value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
+     * -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained
+     * configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @param defaultValue the default value to return
-     * @return the property from the properties file or the defaultValue if the property does not exist or cannot be
-     * converted to an integer
+     * @return the property from the properties file or the defaultValue if the property does not exist or cannot be converted to
+     * an integer
      */
     public static int getInt(String key, int defaultValue) {
         int value;
@@ -653,9 +661,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a long value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via
-     * the -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
-     * contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a long value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
+     * -Dprop=value argument - this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the contained
+     * configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file
@@ -672,9 +680,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a boolean value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in
-     * via the <code>-Dprop=value</code> argument this method will return the value from the system properties before
-     * the values in the contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a boolean value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
+     * <code>-Dprop=value</code> argument this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
+     * contained configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @return the property from the properties file
@@ -691,9 +699,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a boolean value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in
-     * via the <code>-Dprop=value</code> argument this method will return the value from the system properties before
-     * the values in the contained configuration file.
+     * Returns a boolean value from the properties file. If the value was specified as a system property or passed in via the
+     * <code>-Dprop=value</code> argument this method will return the value from the system properties before the values in the
+     * contained configuration file.
      *
      * @param key the key to lookup within the properties file
      * @param defaultValue the default value to return if the setting does not exist
@@ -715,9 +723,9 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a connection string from the configured properties. If the connection string contains a %s, this method
-     * will determine the 'data' directory and replace the %s with the path to the data directory. If the data directory
-     * does not exists it will be created.
+     * Returns a connection string from the configured properties. If the connection string contains a %s, this method will
+     * determine the 'data' directory and replace the %s with the path to the data directory. If the data directory does not
+     * exists it will be created.
      *
      * @param connectionStringKey the property file key for the connection string
      * @param dbFileNameKey the settings key for the db filename
@@ -770,8 +778,8 @@ public final class Settings {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Retrieves the directory that the JAR file exists in so that we can ensure we always use a common data directory
-     * for the embedded H2 database. This is public solely for some unit tests; otherwise this should be private.
+     * Retrieves the directory that the JAR file exists in so that we can ensure we always use a common data directory for the
+     * embedded H2 database. This is public solely for some unit tests; otherwise this should be private.
      *
      * @return the data directory to store data files
      * @throws IOException is thrown if an IOException occurs of course...
diff --git a/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/URLConnectionFactory.java b/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/URLConnectionFactory.java
index b0b40ece8..3b3f7a5f6 100644
--- a/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/URLConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/dependency-check-utils/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/URLConnectionFactory.java
@@ -117,4 +117,33 @@ public final class URLConnectionFactory {
         }
         return conn;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Utility method to create an HttpURLConnection. This version of createHttpURLConnection does not utilize any proxy
+     * configuration; but does provide the ability to authenticate to the site.
+     *
+     * @param url the URL to connect to
+     * @param username the user name for authentication to the given site
+     * @param password the password for authentication to the given site
+     * @return a newly constructed HttpURLConnection
+     * @throws URLConnectionFailureException thrown if there is an exception
+     */
+    public static HttpURLConnection createHttpURLConnection(URL url, final String username, final char[] password)
+            throws URLConnectionFailureException {
+        HttpURLConnection conn = null;
+        try {
+            Authenticator.setDefault(new Authenticator() {
+                protected PasswordAuthentication getPasswordAuthentication() {
+                    return new PasswordAuthentication(username, password);
+                }
+            });
+            conn = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
+            final int timeout = Settings.getInt(Settings.KEYS.CONNECTION_TIMEOUT, 60000);
+            conn.setConnectTimeout(timeout);
+            conn.setInstanceFollowRedirects(true);
+        } catch (IOException ioe) {
+            throw new URLConnectionFailureException("Error getting connection.", ioe);
+        }
+        return conn;
+    }
 }