CVE-2015-3208 in ActiveMQ
Summary
by MITRE
XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in the XPath selector component in Artemis ActiveMQ before commit 48d9951d879e0c8cbb59d4b64ab59d53ef88310d allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2022
The CVE-2015-3208 vulnerability represents a critical XML external entity processing flaw within the XPath selector component of Apache Artemis ActiveMQ messaging system. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of XML external entity attacks, which are categorized as CWE-611 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The flaw exists in the XPath processing functionality that handles XML-based queries and selections within the messaging infrastructure, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by remote adversaries to manipulate or extract sensitive information from systems running vulnerable versions of the software.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the XPath selector component. When the system processes XML content containing external entity references, it fails to properly restrict or disable the resolution of external entities, allowing attackers to craft malicious XML payloads that can trigger unintended behavior. The vulnerability specifically affects versions of Artemis ActiveMQ prior to commit 48d9951d879e0c8cbb59d4b64ab59d53ef88310d, indicating that the fix was implemented through code modifications that strengthened XML parsing controls and entity resolution mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Artemis ActiveMQ for message processing and enterprise communication. Attackers could potentially leverage this XXE vulnerability to perform various malicious activities including information disclosure, denial of service conditions, or even server-side request forgery attacks. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could enable multiple types of exploitation depending on the specific environment and configuration, making it particularly dangerous as defenders cannot easily predict the exact consequences of exploitation. The attack vector is remote and does not require authentication, which significantly increases the attack surface and potential for widespread compromise.
The security implications of CVE-2015-3208 align with tactics and techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the "Exploitation for Credential Access" and "Initial Access" phases. Organizations using Artemis ActiveMQ systems should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the attack surface is broad and the potential for exploitation remains high. The fix implemented in the subsequent commit involved strengthening XML parsing controls and ensuring that external entity resolution is properly disabled or restricted, which aligns with industry best practices for preventing XXE vulnerabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious XML processing activities as additional defensive measures to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of Artemis ActiveMQ and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. The remediation process should include not only applying the specific fix but also reviewing and hardening XML processing configurations throughout the enterprise messaging infrastructure. Regular security testing and code reviews focusing on XML parsing components should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the system architecture. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms across all XML processing components will help protect against future XXE-related threats and maintain overall system security posture.