Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-33246 is a critical-severity Code Injection (CWE-94) vulnerability in Apache Rocketmq. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Junk Data (T1001.001); ranked in the top 0.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2023-33246 is a remote code execution vulnerability affecting Apache RocketMQ versions 5.1.0 and earlier. It stems from exposed NameServer, Broker, and Controller components that lack authentication and authorization checks, combined with an unauthenticated update configuration function and the ability to forge RocketMQ protocol messages. The flaw is classified under CWE-94 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8.
An unauthenticated remote attacker who can reach the affected components over the network can invoke the configuration update mechanism or craft malicious protocol packets to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user running RocketMQ. This grants full control over the message-broker processes and any data or systems they can access.
Apache advisories and the referenced OSS-Security disclosure recommend immediate upgrade to RocketMQ 5.1.1 or newer for the 5.x branch and 4.9.6 or newer for the 4.x branch. Public exploit code has been posted to Packet Storm, and the vulnerability appears on the oss-security mailing list.
The associated EPSS score remains persistently high, with a current value of 0.9439 and a recorded peak of 0.9736.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-2175
Vulnerability Data
For RocketMQ versions 5.1.0 and below, under certain conditions, there is a risk of remote command execution. Several components of RocketMQ, including NameServer, Broker, and Controller, are leaked on the extranet and lack permission verification, an attacker can exploit this…
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vulnerability by using the update configuration function to execute commands as the system users that RocketMQ is running as. Additionally, an attacker can achieve the same effect by forging the RocketMQ protocol content. To prevent these attacks, users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.1.1 or above for using RocketMQ 5.x or 4.9.6 or above for using RocketMQ 4.x .
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 06 September 2023
Related Threats
Threat-Actor AttributionAI
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.3.1
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Makes persistent code injection into loaded programs impossible when the executable image itself resides on hardware-protected read-only media.
Dynamically generated code can be produced and executed inside the isolated chamber, preventing host compromise from code-injection payloads.
Validates inputs used in dynamic code generation to block injected directives.
Directly prevents execution of attacker-supplied code written into data memory regions.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.PS-06's SDLC practices directly target injection flaws via secure coding and testing (mostly), yet as a single broad outcome it leaves many code-generation specifics unaddressed (partial).
PR.DS-10 protects runtime data confidentiality/integrity but has no bearing on neutralizing externally influenced input during code generation, so neither direction shows any preventive effect.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.