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CVE-2016-9877: Pivotal Software Rabbitmq: Improper Access Control

CVE-2016-9877 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and affects Pivotal Software Rabbitmq, along with 1 other product in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

An issue was discovered in Pivotal RabbitMQ 3.x before 3.5.8 and 3.6.x before 3.6.6 and RabbitMQ for PCF 1.5.x before 1.5.20, 1.6.x before 1.6.12, and 1.7.x before 1.7.7. MQTT (MQ Telemetry Transport) connection authentication with a username/password pair succeeds if an existing username is provided but the password is omitted from the connection request. Connections that use TLS with a client-provided certificate are not affected.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-284: Improper Access Control

The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.

Affected products

  • Pivotal Software Rabbitmq: 3.5.4; 3.5.5; 3.5.7; 3.6.0; 3.6.1; 3.6.2; 3.6.3; 3.6.4; 3.6.5; 1.5.0; 1.5.1; 1.5.2
  • Broadcom Rabbitmq Server: 3.0.0; 3.0.1; 3.0.2; 3.0.3; 3.0.4; 3.1.0; 3.1.1; 3.1.2; 3.1.3; 3.1.4; 3.1.5; 3.2.0

References