CVE-2026-24457: OpenMQ SSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24457 Overview

CVE-2026-24457 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Eclipse OpenMQ that arises from unsafe parsing of the message queue broker's configuration. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files from a MQ Broker's server without authentication. A successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive files on the host operating system, and in certain scenarios, may lead to remote code execution (RCE).

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit unsafe configuration parsing to read arbitrary files from OpenMQ broker servers, potentially leading to sensitive data disclosure and RCE in certain deployment scenarios.

Affected Products

• Eclipse OpenMQ (Message Queue Broker)
• Applications utilizing OpenMQ for message queuing services
• Systems with network-exposed OpenMQ broker instances

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-05 - CVE-2026-24457 published to NVD
• 2026-03-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24457

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 (Path Traversal), indicating improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The flaw resides in how OpenMQ parses and processes configuration data, failing to properly validate and sanitize file path inputs. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that traverse directory boundaries and access files outside the intended scope.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means attackers can exploit it remotely without requiring any form of authentication or user interaction. The configuration parsing mechanism does not adequately filter path traversal sequences such as ../ patterns, enabling directory escape attacks.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from insufficient input validation in OpenMQ's configuration parsing routines. When the broker processes configuration parameters that include file paths, it fails to canonicalize or sanitize these paths before file system operations. This allows attackers to inject path traversal sequences that escape the intended directory structure and access arbitrary files on the underlying operating system.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network against an exposed OpenMQ broker instance. An attacker crafts a malicious request containing path traversal sequences within configuration parameters. When the broker parses this configuration, it follows the traversal path and reads files from unintended locations on the file system.

The exploitation flow involves:

1. Identifying an exposed OpenMQ broker on the network
2. Crafting configuration requests with embedded path traversal sequences
3. Submitting the malicious configuration to the broker
4. Receiving the contents of arbitrary files from the target system

In certain deployment configurations where the broker has elevated privileges or where sensitive executable files can be accessed, this file read primitive may be chained with other techniques to achieve remote code execution.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24457

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual file access patterns in OpenMQ broker logs indicating paths outside normal configuration directories
• Network traffic to OpenMQ broker containing suspicious path traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants
• Unexpected read operations on sensitive system files from the OpenMQ process
• Authentication failures followed by unusual configuration-related requests

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network-based intrusion detection rules to identify path traversal patterns in traffic destined for OpenMQ broker ports
• Monitor OpenMQ broker logs for configuration parsing errors or unusual file access attempts
• Implement file integrity monitoring on sensitive system files to detect unauthorized read operations
• Enable detailed audit logging on the broker host to track file system access by the OpenMQ process

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure SIEM rules to alert on path traversal indicators in OpenMQ-related network traffic
• Establish baseline normal behavior for OpenMQ file access patterns and alert on deviations
• Monitor for reconnaissance activity targeting OpenMQ broker discovery on the network
• Review broker access logs regularly for anomalous configuration requests from unexpected sources

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24457

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to OpenMQ broker instances using firewall rules to limit exposure to trusted sources only
• Review and harden OpenMQ deployment configurations to run with minimal necessary privileges
• Implement network segmentation to isolate message queue infrastructure from untrusted networks
• Enable comprehensive logging and monitoring on all OpenMQ broker instances

Patch Information

Organizations should monitor the Eclipse GitLab CVE Assignment Issue for official patch information and security advisories from the Eclipse Foundation. Apply vendor-provided security updates as soon as they become available.

Workarounds

• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) or network filtering solution to block requests containing path traversal sequences targeting OpenMQ services
• Implement strict access control lists limiting which hosts can communicate with the OpenMQ broker
• Run the OpenMQ broker in a containerized or sandboxed environment to limit file system access scope
• Consider temporarily disabling network exposure of vulnerable broker instances until patches are available

# Example: Restrict OpenMQ broker access using iptables
# Allow only trusted hosts to connect to OpenMQ default port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 7676 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 7676 -j DROP

# Verify the rules are applied
iptables -L -n --line-numbers