CVE-2012-6092 in ActiveMQ
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the web demos in Apache ActiveMQ before 5.8.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the refresh parameter to PortfolioPublishServlet.java (aka demo/portfolioPublish or Market Data Publisher), or vectors involving (2) debug logs or (3) subscribe messages in webapp/websocket/chat.js. NOTE: AMQ-4124 is covered by CVE-2012-6551.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-6092 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Apache ActiveMQ versions prior to 5.8.0, specifically within its web demonstration components. This issue exposes the messaging platform to remote code execution risks through web-based attack vectors that exploit improper input validation in the web interface. The vulnerability affects multiple attack surfaces within the ActiveMQ web demos, creating a broad attack surface that could enable malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands within the browser context of authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user inputs in several web components. The primary attack vector involves the refresh parameter within PortfolioPublishServlet.java, which processes data without proper validation, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets executed when the web page renders. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to debug log handling and subscribe message processing within the websocket chat.js file, where user-provided data is directly incorporated into web responses without appropriate escaping or encoding mechanisms. These flaws collectively demonstrate a lack of proper input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-6092 is significant as it enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the ActiveMQ web interface. Attackers could leverage these vulnerabilities to steal administrative credentials, modify message flows, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive messaging infrastructure. The presence of these vulnerabilities in demonstration components suggests that production environments running ActiveMQ might also be exposed to similar risks, particularly if developers fail to properly secure the web interface components during deployment. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of ActiveMQ installations to version 5.8.0 or later, where the XSS flaws have been addressed through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting known vulnerable parameters. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of ActiveMQ web interfaces to untrusted networks. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews of web components to identify similar input validation gaps, particularly focusing on parameters used in dynamic content generation. The remediation process should include implementing proper output encoding for all user-supplied data in web contexts, as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically addressing techniques related to web application exploitation and credential access through client-side attacks.