CVE-2026-66909
Description
A flaw was found in Apache CXF. The Java Message Service (JMS) transport component improperly deserializes inbound JMS ObjectMessages without type restrictions. A remote attacker can exploit this by sending a specially crafted message to the service's JMS destination. This vulnerability could lead to a denial of service or, in certain configurations, enable remote code execution on the affected system.
Statement
This vulnerability in Apache CXF's JMS transport is rated as Important because it allows for remote code execution or denial of service if an attacker can send a specially crafted JMS ObjectMessage to a service. This is particularly relevant in Red Hat environments where Apache CXF is used in applications that process JMS messages, as the default deserialization behavior without type restrictions increases the attack surface. Exploitation requires the presence of a suitable gadget class on the classpath.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, disable ObjectMessage deserialization in Apache CXF's JMS transport. This can typically be achieved through a configuration setting provided by the Apache CXF framework. Consult the Apache CXF documentation for specific instructions on how to disable ObjectMessage deserialization in your deployment. Disabling this feature may impact applications that rely on ObjectMessage for legitimate data transfer.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 8.1 | N/A | 9.8 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Application Data; Unexpected State
Attackers can modify unexpected objects or data that was assumed to be safe from modification. Deserialized data or code could be modified without using the provided accessor functions, or unexpected functions could be invoked.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
If a function is making an assumption on when to terminate, based on a sentry in a string, it could easily never terminate.
Other
Technical Impact: Varies by Context
The consequences can vary widely, because it depends on which objects or methods are being deserialized, and how they are used. Making an assumption that the code in the deserialized object is valid is dangerous and can enable exploitation. One example is attackers using gadget chains to perform unauthorized actions, such as generating a shell.
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