Apache ActiveMQ is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution

Exploitation

Confirmed: listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

CVSS

10.0 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H/E:H

EPSS

• CVE-2023-46604: 99.99% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.99 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Apache ActiveMQ is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution.The vulnerability may allow a remote attacker with network access to a broker to run arbitrary shell commands by manipulating serialized class types in the OpenWire protocol to cause the broker to instantiate any class on the classpath. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.15.16, 5.16.7, 5.17.6, or 5.18.3, which fixes this issue.

Published by the source

27 Oct 2023, 15:30 UTC

Last modified by the source

4 Nov 2025, 00:30 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:40 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-crg9-44h2-xw35

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2023-46604

Advisory: Apache ActiveMQ is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution
IDs: CVE-2023-46604, GHSA-crg9-44h2-xw35
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2023-46604 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:40 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 10.0)
Exploitation: confirmed: listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.activemq:activemq-client 5.18.3, 5.17.6, 5.16.7, 5.15.16; org.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacy 5.18.3, 5.17.6, 5.16.7, 5.15.16. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.activemq:activemq-client: affected < 5.15.16; >= 5.16.0, < 5.16.7; >= 5.17.0, < 5.17.6; >= 5.18.0, < 5.18.3; fixed in 5.17.6, 5.16.7, 5.18.3, 5.15.16
- Maven org.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacy: affected >= 5.8.0, < 5.15.16; >= 5.16.0, < 5.16.7; >= 5.17.0, < 5.17.6; >= 5.18.0, < 5.18.3; fixed in 5.17.6, 5.16.7, 5.18.3, 5.15.16

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.activemq:activemq-client: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacy: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.apache.activemq:activemq-client, org.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacy.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog (CISA added CVE-2023-46604 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-11-02.)
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-crg9-44h2-xw35 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-crg9-44h2-xw35 lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.activemq:activemq-client >=0 =5.16.0 =5.17.0 =5.18.0 =5.8.0 =5.16.0 =5.17.0 =5.18.0 <5.18.3)

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