Critical RabbitMQ-C Flaws: Credential Exposure, DoS, and Code Execution Risks
Ubuntu security updates address three vulnerabilities in rabbitmq-c, including credential exposure, denial-of-service issues, and a heap buffer overflow enabling remote code execution. Organizations using affected Ubuntu LTS versions should apply patches immediately.
TL;DR
- CVE-2023-35789 exposes RabbitMQ credentials in command-line arguments on Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 LTS
- CVE-2026-44235 causes out-of-bounds reads in AMQP frame processing, leading to denial of service
- CVE-2026-44236 is a critical heap buffer overflow in AMQP login handshakes allowing remote code execution
- All three vulnerabilities affect rabbitmq-c library used in message queue deployments
Ubuntu has released security updates addressing three vulnerabilities in the rabbitmq-c library, a C client for RabbitMQ message brokers. The flaws range from local credential exposure to remote code execution, affecting systems running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS.
These vulnerabilities highlight risks in message queue infrastructure commonly deployed in microservices and distributed systems. Organizations relying on rabbitmq-c should prioritize patching to prevent both data leakage and potential system compromise.
Vulnerability Details
- CVE-2023-35789: Credentials exposed in command-line arguments; local attacker can extract sensitive authentication data
- CVE-2026-44235: Out-of-bounds read in AMQP frame length handling; remote attacker can trigger denial of service
- CVE-2026-44236: Heap buffer overflow during AMQP login handshakes; enables remote code execution or crash
Impact and Mitigation
- Credential exposure affects Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS specifically; other versions may have different risk profiles
- DoS and code execution vulnerabilities affect all deployments using vulnerable rabbitmq-c versions
- Apply USN-8437-1 patches immediately to mitigate remote exploitation risks
- Review message queue configurations and network access controls to limit exposure
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