dbcve.org
ArtemisApplication · Apache

CVE-2016-4978

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2016-09-27
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.4.0 or later.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The getObject method of the javax.jms.ObjectMessage class in the (1) JMS Core client, (2) Artemis broker, and (3) Artemis REST component in Apache ActiveMQ Artemis before 1.4.0 might allow remote authenticated users with permission to send messages to the Artemis broker to deserialize arbitrary objects and execute arbitrary code by leveraging gadget classes being present on the Artemis classpath.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Apache ActiveMQ Artemis before 1.4.0 contains a Java deserialization vulnerability in the ObjectMessage.getObject() method across the JMS Core client, Artemis broker, and Artemis REST components. Remote authenticated users with message-send permission can deserialize arbitrary objects by leveraging gadget classes present on the classpath, leading to remote code execution.

MitigationUpgrade to Apache ActiveMQ Artemis 1.4.0 or later. If upgrade is not immediately feasible, restrict permissions for message senders and review code to avoid using ObjectMessage where possible.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
ArtemisApplication
Affected:< 1.4.0
Jboss Enterprise Application PlatformApplication
Affected:= 6.0.0= 6.4.0= 7.0.0= 7.1.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Apache ActiveMQ Artemis installation and version
    Locate the Artemis installation directory. Check the VERSION.txt file in the root directory, or run: java -jar artemis-core.jar --version. For Red Hat JBoss EAP, check the version via the management console or run: $JBOSS_HOME/bin/jboss-cli.sh --connect version
    Affected if The installed version is below 1.4.0 (or for JBoss EAP: versions 6.0.0, 6.4.0, 7.0.0, or 7.1.0)
  2. Locate JMS message consumer code using ObjectMessage.getObject()
    Search Java source code and JAR files for calls to javax.jms.ObjectMessage.getObject() method. Search patterns: 'ObjectMessage' combined with '.getObject()'. Inspect all JMS consumer endpoints and message listeners.
    Affected if Code calls ObjectMessage.getObject() to deserialize messages from untrusted sources
  3. Verify JMS message-send permissions are not restricted
    Inspect the Artemis broker.xml configuration file (or equivalent JAAS/login config) for security settings. Check role-based access control definitions for message-send permissions. Review who has the 'send' permission on destinations.
    Affected if Users or roles with message-send permission include untrusted or remote authenticated users, or permissions are overly permissive
  4. Check classpath for known Java deserialization gadget chains
    Review all JARs in the lib or classpath directory for known gadget classes (e.g., Apache Commons Collections, Groovy, Spring Beans, CGLIB). List all libraries that could support unsafe deserialization chains.
    Affected if Vulnerable gadget libraries exist on the classpath alongside ObjectMessage consumers
  5. Confirm REST interface uses Artemis REST plugin
    If using the Artemis REST interface, locate the artemis-rest.war or REST-related configuration. Check if the REST component deserializes JMS ObjectMessage content.
    Affected if Artemis REST plugin is deployed and processes ObjectMessage content from remote clients

Your environment is affected if running Apache Artemis below 1.4.0 (or JBoss EAP 6.0.0/6.4.0/7.0.0/7.1.0), and code uses ObjectMessage.getObject() to deserialize messages from users with message-send permissions, especially with vulnerable gadget libraries present on the classpath.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1.4.0 or later
Fixed in 1.4.0
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Apache ActiveMQ Artemis 1.4.0 or later. If upgrade is not immediately feasible, restrict permissions for message senders and review code to avoid using ObjectMessage where possible.

Fix this in Artemis Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
16.0 hours of engineering $2,760
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,416.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-4978 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-4978 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data