CVE-2017-15701 in Qpid Broker-J
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Qpid Broker-J before 6.1.x before 6.1.5, the broker does not properly enforce a maximum frame size in AMQP 1.0 frames. A remote unauthenticated attacker could exploit this to cause the broker to exhaust all available memory and eventually terminate. Older AMQP protocols are not affected.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15701 affects Apache Qpid Broker-J versions prior to 6.1.5, representing a critical memory exhaustion flaw that specifically targets the AMQP 1.0 protocol implementation. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of frame size parameters within the broker's AMQP 1.0 handling mechanism, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate frame size limits and consume excessive system resources. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can establish a connection to the affected broker service. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400, which specifically addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" or "Resource Exhaustion" conditions that can lead to denial of service scenarios. The attack vector exploits the broker's failure to properly enforce maximum frame size limits, allowing an attacker to send specially crafted AMQP 1.0 frames that exceed normal operational parameters, ultimately leading to complete memory exhaustion.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the protocol handling layer where the broker processes incoming AMQP 1.0 frames without adequate validation of frame size constraints. When an attacker sends frames with deliberately inflated size parameters, the broker allocates memory based on these oversized frame specifications rather than enforcing the configured maximum frame size limits. This memory allocation behavior continues until the system's available memory is completely consumed, resulting in the broker terminating its operations or becoming unresponsive. The issue is protocol-specific to AMQP 1.0 as older AMQP versions implement different frame handling mechanisms that are not susceptible to this particular flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics aligned with the ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which involves "Network Denial of Service" attacks through resource exhaustion, and specifically targets the "Resource Exhaustion" sub-technique where system resources are consumed to the point of service unavailability.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15701 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire messaging infrastructure deployments. Organizations relying on Qpid Broker-J for mission-critical messaging operations face significant risk of extended downtime and data processing interruptions when this vulnerability is exploited. The memory exhaustion can occur rapidly, potentially causing the broker to crash within minutes of exploitation, leading to message loss and service degradation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform sustained denial of service attacks against messaging systems, particularly affecting environments where the broker serves as a central messaging hub for distributed applications. The vulnerability also impacts compliance and security posture, as it represents an unauthenticated attack vector that can be exploited without requiring any prior access credentials or privileged information. Organizations with multiple broker instances or clustered deployments may experience cascading failures if the vulnerability is exploited across multiple nodes, amplifying the overall impact on system availability and business continuity. The exploitation of this vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and resource management, as the broker fails to implement proper resource boundary checks that should be inherent to any robust messaging system implementation.