CVE-2015-0203 in Qpid
Summary
by MITRE
The qpidd broker in Apache Qpid 0.30 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via an AMQP message with (1) an invalid range in a sequence set, (2) content-bearing methods other than message-transfer, or (3) a session-gap control before a corresponding session-attach.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0203 affects the qpidd broker component within Apache Qpid versions 0.30 and earlier, representing a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited by remotely authenticated attackers. This flaw resides in the message broker's handling of specific AMQP protocol messages, creating a condition where legitimate authenticated users can trigger daemon crashes through carefully crafted malformed messages. The vulnerability specifically targets the broker's message processing logic and session management mechanisms, potentially disrupting critical messaging infrastructure that relies on Apache Qpid for communication between distributed applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves three distinct attack vectors that exploit different aspects of the AMQP protocol handling within the qpidd broker. The first vector involves sending AMQP messages containing invalid ranges within sequence sets, which causes the broker to encounter unexpected data structures during processing. The second vector targets content-bearing methods that are not message-transfer operations, exploiting improper validation of method parameters and content types. The third vector leverages session-gap control messages that are processed before corresponding session-attach operations, creating a race condition or state inconsistency in the broker's session management logic. These attack vectors collectively demonstrate a lack of proper input validation and error handling within the broker's AMQP message processing pipeline.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0203 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the reliability and availability of messaging infrastructure that depends on Apache Qpid. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause the qpidd daemon to crash and restart automatically, leading to temporary unavailability of message services and potential loss of pending messages. Organizations using Apache Qpid for mission-critical messaging applications face significant risk of operational disruption, as the vulnerability can be triggered by authenticated users who may not necessarily intend to cause harm but could inadvertently or maliciously exploit this weakness. The attack requires only authenticated access to the messaging system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where access controls are not properly enforced or where legitimate users have elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0203 primarily focus on immediate software updates and implementation of additional access controls. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Apache Qpid version 0.31 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved input validation and error handling mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit authenticated access to the messaging broker, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of message processing that might indicate attempted exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" within the context of network infrastructure attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed AMQP messages that match the vulnerability patterns described in CVE-2015-0203.