CVE-2023-46604: Critical Vulnerability in Apache ActiveMQ

The Java OpenWire protocol marshaller is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker with network access to either a Java-based OpenWire broker or client to run arbitrary shell commands by manipulating serialized class types in the OpenWire protocol. This poses a significant risk to organizations utilizing Apache ActiveMQ, as it could lead to unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

The CVSS score of 10 indicates a critical severity level, thereby necessitating immediate attention. Organizations are urged to upgrade both brokers and clients to version 5.15.16, 5.16.7, 5.17.6, or 5.18.3, which have been confirmed to fix this issue.

Risk to organizations includes potential unauthorized command execution, leading to significant compromise of system integrity and availability. Given the nature of this vulnerability, organizations should prioritize patching immediately.

As of the latest information, this vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild, and organizations should take immediate steps to secure their ActiveMQ implementations.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-46604 relates to the Java OpenWire protocol marshaller in Apache ActiveMQ. The vulnerability enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands through manipulated serialized class types within the OpenWire protocol. The impact of this vulnerability includes high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.

The CVSS score of 10 indicates a critical severity level, which emphasizes the urgent need for remediation. Apache recommends affected users to update to fixed versions: 5.15.16, 5.16.7, 5.17.6, or 5.18.3.

The official CWE classification for this vulnerability is CWE-502, which pertains to deserialization of untrusted data.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of serialized class types in the Java OpenWire protocol. Attackers may exploit this flaw remotely over the network, with low complexity and no privileges required. User interaction is not necessary for the exploitation of this vulnerability.

The attack vector is network-based, allowing attackers to send specially crafted data to the target broker or client. The impact of a successful exploit could lead to complete control over the affected system, making it a high-risk vulnerability.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The risk to organizations includes potential unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data, which could lead to severe operational disruptions and financial losses. Given the critical nature of this vulnerability, the potential blast radius is extensive due to widespread use of Apache ActiveMQ in enterprise environments.

Organizations should assess their use of Apache ActiveMQ and prioritize remediation efforts in alignment with the critical CVSS score and the KEV status indicating known exploitation.

Based on the current threat landscape, organizations should schedule patching as a priority to mitigate potential risks associated with this vulnerability.

Exploitation Status

Affected Versions

The following versions of Apache ActiveMQ are affected: Any version prior to 5.15.16, versions between 5.16.0 and 5.16.7, 5.17.0 and 5.17.6, and 5.18.0 and 5.18.3.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should apply the recommended patches by upgrading to version 5.15.16, 5.16.7, 5.17.6, or 5.18.3. If patching is not immediately possible, it is advised to implement network controls to restrict access to the affected services until a patch can be applied.

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