Apache ActiveMQ Artemis
CVE-2026-27446
CRITICAL
GHSA-fw88-pf9m-p947
Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessConnect to exposed port 61616
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DeliverySend unauthenticated Core protocol federation request
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ExploitBroker establishes outbound connection to attacker's rogue broker
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ExecutionInject malicious messages into queues
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PersistExfiltrate sensitive messages from queues
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ImpactCompromise message-driven application logic
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication required for critical functions
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires both: (1) Broker configured with an acceptor supporting Core protocol connections from untrusted networks-the default 'artemis' acceptor on port 61616 supports Core protocol unless explicitly disabled via the 'protocols' URL parameter, and (2) Broker network policy permitting outbound Core protocol connections to attacker-controlled destinations-firewall rules or egress filtering must allow the broker to initiate connections to arbitrary external hosts. If either condition is absent, exploitation fails: blocking inbound Core protocol access prevents the trigger, while blocking outbound connections prevents federation establishment to rogue brokers. Environments using mutual TLS client certificate authentication on acceptors are not vulnerable as the authentication check occurs before protocol-level processing. Default installations listening on 61616 without network isolation or client certificate requirements meet both conditions, while properly segmented deployments restricting broker network access significantly limit realistic exploitability despite the CVSS score suggesting universal remote risk. |
| Impact | The CVSS 9.3 score reflects severe potential impact (VC:H/VI:H indicating high confidentiality and integrity breach via message exfiltration and injection), but real-world risk depends heavily on network architecture. The EPSS score of 0.20% (42nd percentile) indicates low observed exploitation attempts, aligning with the absence of CISA KEV listing-this is not currently a widespread attack target. However, the AC:L (low complexity) and PR:N (no privileges required) factors mean exploitation is technically trivial once prerequisites are met. The critical limiting factor is the dual requirement: brokers must both (1) accept Core protocol from untrusted networks AND (2) permit outbound Core connections to untrusted destinations. Most production deployments isolate message brokers behind network boundaries, significantly reducing exploitability. The vulnerability is more severe in multi-tenant cloud environments or DMZ-deployed brokers with relaxed egress filtering. SSVC assessment: exploitation status is public (vendor disclosure) but not automated at scale; technical impact is high (message queue compromise); automatable is yes (network-based, no user interaction). Priority depends on whether your deployment matches both prerequisite conditions-this is a verify-then-patch scenario rather than drop-everything emergency. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An external attacker sends a specially crafted Core protocol message to an exposed Artemis broker on port 61616, exploiting the missing authentication to command the broker to establish an outbound Core federation connection to the attacker's rogue broker. Once the federation link is established, the attacker injects malicious messages into production queues (disrupting business logic or injecting commands) and simultaneously exfiltrates sensitive messages from other queues (stealing credentials, personally identifiable information, or proprietary data flowing through the messaging infrastructure). No public proof-of-concept code is identified at time of analysis, but the attack is technically straightforward given the low complexity rating. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv2 – May 12, 2026
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit Apache ActiveMQ Artemis (2.11.0-2.44.0) and Apache Artemis (2.50.0-2.51.0) to force brokers into establishing malicious Core protocol federation connections. This missing authentication (CWE-306) enables both message injection into any queue and exfiltration from any queue via attacker-controlled rogue brokers. Exploitation requires environments allowing untrusted Core protocol connections (default port 61616) in both inbound and outbound directions. EPSS score of 0.20% suggests low current exploitation probability, and no CISA KEV listing exists, indicating this is not yet widely exploited despite the critical CVSS 9.3 score. Vendor patch available in version 2.52.0.
Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
Unauthenticated access to Apache Artemis message broker.
RemediationAI
Upgrade to Apache Artemis version 2.52.0, which contains the authentication fix (confirmed by vendor advisory at https://lists.apache.org/thread/jwpsdc8tdxotm98od8n8n30fqlzoc8gg). Red Hat customers should apply RHSA-2026:3955 or RHSA-2026:3957 as appropriate. If immediate patching is not feasible, implement one of two compensating controls: (1) Disable Core protocol support on acceptors receiving untrusted connections by modifying the 'protocols' URL parameter on the 'artemis' acceptor (default port 61616) to exclude Core protocol-this prevents the vulnerable code path but breaks legitimate Core protocol clients; or (2) Enforce mutual TLS (two-way SSL) requiring client certificate authentication on all acceptors, which prevents unauthenticated exploitation but requires PKI infrastructure and client certificate distribution. Network-level controls like restricting inbound access to port 61616 to trusted sources OR blocking outbound Core protocol connections to untrusted destinations will also break the exploitation chain, though defense-in-depth suggests combining network controls with protocol-level mitigations. Siemens-specific guidance is available at https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-085541.html.
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 2 packages in maven
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Apache ActiveMQ Artemis implements the Core protocol for messaging federation, allowing brokers to establish connections for distributed message routing. The vulnerability stems from missing authentication on the Core protocol handler (CWE-306), specifically when the broker accepts Core protocol connections via acceptors (default 'artemis' acceptor on port 61616). The CPE data identifies two affected product lines: Apache ActiveMQ Artemis (2.11.0-2.44.0) and the newer Apache Artemis rebrand (2.50.0-2.51.0). The Core protocol's federation feature, designed for legitimate inter-broker communication, lacks proper authentication checks before establishing outbound federation connections when triggered by untrusted remote clients. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N) confirms network-based exploitation requiring no authentication or user interaction, though the dual-direction connection requirement (both accepting and initiating Core connections to untrusted targets) adds deployment-specific nuance not fully captured in the base score.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:L/SI:L/SA:L
Primary rating from Vendor (apache).
CVSS VectorVendor: apache
Lifecycle Timeline
4DescriptionCVE.org
Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability in Apache Artemis, Apache ActiveMQ Artemis. An unauthenticated remote attacker can use the Core protocol to force a target broker to establish an outbound Core federation connection to an attacker-controlled rogue broker. This could potentially result in message injection into any queue and/or message exfiltration from any queue via the rogue broker. This impacts environments that allow both:
- incoming Core protocol connections from untrusted sources to the broker
- outgoing Core protocol connections from the broker to untrusted targets
This issue affects:
- Apache Artemis from 2.50.0 through 2.51.0
- Apache ActiveMQ Artemis from 2.11.0 through 2.44.0.
Users are recommended to upgrade to Apache Artemis version 2.52.0, which fixes the issue.
The issue can be mitigated by either of the following:
- Remove Core protocol support from any acceptor receiving connections from untrusted sources. Incoming Core protocol connections are supported by default via the "artemis" acceptor listening on port 61616. See the "protocols" URL parameter configured for the acceptor. An acceptor URL without this parameter supports all protocols by default, including Core.
- Use two-way SSL (i.e. certificate-based authentication) in order to force every client to present the proper SSL certificate when establishing a connection before any message protocol handshake is attempted. This will prevent unauthenticated exploitation of this vulnerability.
Blast Radius
ecosystem impact- 69 maven packages depend on org.apache.activemq:artemis-server (31 direct, 38 indirect)
- 27 maven packages depend on org.apache.artemis:artemis-server (16 direct, 11 indirect)
Ecosystem-wide dependent count for version 2.11.0 and other introduced versions.
Executive ViewAI
Apache ActiveMQ Artemis versions 2.11.0-2.44.0 and Artemis 2.50.0-2.51.0 contain an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability enabling attackers to intercept and manipulate all message queue traffic through federation hijacking. Organizations running affected versions face complete compromise of message confidentiality and integrity without authentication barriers, potentially exposing sensitive transactional and operational data across dependent applications.
If patching cannot be completed within 7 days: (1) Restrict inbound and outbound Core protocol (TCP 61616) connections to explicitly whitelisted trusted broker IP addresses only; (2) Implement network-level authentication and encryption (e.g., VPN, mTLS) for all Core protocol traffic; (3) Monitor federation connection logs for unexpected remote brokers; (4) Disable federation functionality entirely if not operationally required. Apply vendor patch to version 2.52.0 as permanent remediation.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
VulDB
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org
In Apache ActiveMQ Artemis prior to 2.20.0 or 2.19.1, an attacker could partially disrupt availability (DoS) through unc
Session hijacking in Apache ActiveMQ Artemis and Apache Artemis allows unauthenticated remote attackers to steal authent
The optional ActiveMQ LDAP login module can be configured to use anonymous access to the LDAP server. Rated high severit
Apache ActiveMQ Artemis allows access to diagnostic information and controls through MBeans, which are also exposed thro
Pre-authentication queue deletion in Apache Artemis and Apache ActiveMQ Artemis allows unauthenticated remote attackers
Cluster credential exposure in Apache ActiveMQ Artemis and Apache Artemis allows a network-adjacent unauthenticated atta
It was found that when Artemis and HornetQ before 2.4.0 are configured with UDP discovery and JGroups discovery a huge b
While investigating ARTEMIS-2964 it was found that the creation of advisory messages in the OpenWire protocol head of Ap
In Apache ActiveMQ Artemis prior to 2.24.0, an attacker could show malicious content and/or redirect users to a maliciou
Pre-authentication information disclosure in Apache ActiveMQ Artemis and Apache Artemis exposes cluster topology details
Unauthenticated remote attackers can create arbitrary durable queues on Apache Artemis and Apache ActiveMQ Artemis broke
A flaw was found in AMQ Broker. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authent
Exploit-DB