CVE-2022-31008 in RabbitMQ
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2022
RabbitMQ is a multi-protocol messaging and streaming broker. In affected versions the shovel and federation plugins perform URI obfuscation in their worker (link) state. The encryption key used to encrypt the URI was seeded with a predictable secret. This means that in case of certain exceptions related to Shovel and Federation plugins, reasonably easily deobfuscatable data could appear in the node log. Patched versions correctly use a cluster-wide secret for that purpose. This issue has been addressed and Patched versions: `3.10.2`, `3.9.18`, `3.8.32` are available. Users unable to upgrade should disable the Shovel and Federation plugins.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2022-31008 affects RabbitMQ messaging brokers and specifically targets the shovel and federation plugins that handle message routing and federation across multiple broker instances. This security flaw stems from improper implementation of URI obfuscation mechanisms within these plugins, creating a significant information disclosure risk that could expose sensitive connection details in system logs. The issue manifests when certain exceptions occur during plugin operations, potentially allowing attackers to recover plaintext connection information from log files where obfuscated data should have been present. The root cause lies in the predictable seeding of encryption keys used for URI obfuscation, a weakness that directly violates established cryptographic best practices for secure key generation and management.
The technical implementation flaw represents a classic case of weak random number generation and predictable key derivation, classified under CWE-330 Use of Insufficiently Random Values. When the shovel and federation plugins encounter operational errors, they generate log entries containing obfuscated URIs that can be easily reversed due to the predictable nature of the encryption key seed. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1562.001 Obfuscated Files or Information, as the obfuscation mechanism fails to provide meaningful protection. The predictable key generation means that an attacker with access to log files could potentially reconstruct the original connection strings, including usernames, passwords, and hostnames, which could then be used to gain unauthorized access to the messaging infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could enable attackers to compromise the entire messaging infrastructure by leveraging recovered connection credentials. The exposed URIs may contain sensitive authentication information that could be used to establish unauthorized connections to message brokers, potentially leading to data exfiltration, message manipulation, or service disruption. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where RabbitMQ is used for critical messaging operations, as it could provide attackers with pathways to escalate privileges or access other systems connected through the message broker. The issue affects multiple versions of RabbitMQ, specifically those prior to the patched releases of 3.10.2, 3.9.18, and 3.8.32, making it a widespread concern for organizations maintaining legacy deployments.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected RabbitMQ installations to address this vulnerability, as the patched versions implement proper cluster-wide secret management for URI obfuscation. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the latest patched versions, which ensure that encryption keys are properly seeded with unpredictable values derived from the cluster configuration rather than relying on predictable seeds. For organizations unable to perform immediate upgrades, the alternative mitigation approach involves disabling the shovel and federation plugins entirely, which eliminates the attack surface while maintaining basic messaging functionality. Security teams should also implement monitoring for unusual log file access patterns and consider log sanitization procedures to prevent accidental exposure of sensitive information. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper cryptographic implementation and the need for regular security assessments of messaging infrastructure components to prevent similar weaknesses in other systems.