CVE-2022-41678

Once an user is authenticated on Jolokia, he can potentially trigger arbitrary code execution. 

In details, in ActiveMQ configurations, jetty allows org.jolokia.http.AgentServlet to handler request to /api/jolokia

org.jolokia.http.HttpRequestHandler#handlePostRequest is able to create JmxRequest through JSONObject. And calls to org.jolokia.http.HttpRequestHandler#executeRequest.

Into deeper calling stacks, org.jolokia.handler.ExecHandler#doHandleRequest is able to invoke through refection.

And then, RCE is able to be achieved via jdk.management.jfr.FlightRecorderMXBeanImpl which exists on Java version above 11.

1 Call newRecording.

2 Call setConfiguration. And a webshell data hides in it.

3 Call startRecording.

4 Call copyTo method. The webshell will be written to a .jsp file.

The mitigation is to restrict (by default) the actions authorized on Jolokia, or disable Jolokia.
A more restrictive Jolokia configuration has been defined in default ActiveMQ distribution. We encourage users to upgrade to ActiveMQ distributions version including updated Jolokia configuration: 5.16.6, 5.17.4, 5.18.0, 6.0.0.

The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.

CVE-2022-41678 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (5.16.6, 5.17.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2022-41678? CVE-2022-41678 is a high-severity improper authentication vulnerability in org.apache.activemq:apache-activemq (maven), affecting versions < 5.16.6. It is fixed in 5.16.6, 5.17.4. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-41678? CVE-2022-41678 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of org.apache.activemq:apache-activemq are affected by CVE-2022-41678? org.apache.activemq:apache-activemq (maven) versions < 5.16.6 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-41678? Yes. CVE-2022-41678 is fixed in 5.16.6, 5.17.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-41678 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-41678 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2022-41678 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2022-41678?
   • Upgrade org.apache.activemq:apache-activemq to 5.16.6 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.activemq:apache-activemq to 5.17.4 or later