Summary
Directory traversal in Apache RocketMQ
In Apache RocketMQ 4.2.0 to 4.6.0, when the automatic topic creation in the broker is turned on by default, an evil topic like “../../../../topic2020” is sent from rocketmq-client to the broker, a topic folder will be created in the parent directory in brokers, which leads to a directory traversal vulnerability. Users of the affected versions should apply one of the following: Upgrade to Apache RocketMQ 4.6.1 or later.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2019-17572? CVE-2019-17572 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in org.apache.rocketmq:rocketmq-broker (maven), affecting versions >= 4.2.0, < 4.6.1. It is fixed in 4.6.1. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of org.apache.rocketmq:rocketmq-broker are affected by CVE-2019-17572? org.apache.rocketmq:rocketmq-broker (maven) versions >= 4.2.0, < 4.6.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2019-17572? Yes. CVE-2019-17572 is fixed in 4.6.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2019-17572 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2019-17572 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2019-17572 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2019-17572? Upgrade
org.apache.rocketmq:rocketmq-brokerto 4.6.1 or later.