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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-27533: Apache ActiveMQ · Unchecked buffer length can cause excessive memory allocation

Affects org.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacySource GCVE Database

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Authoritative record:CVE-2025-27533· Medium 6.9

Public exploit available (Exploit-DB) · CVSS 6.9 Medium : upgrade to 5.16.8 as a priority.

Data as of 29 Oct 2026, 22:52 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score
6.9Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

Thin evidence

One scorer or none
CVSS scores by source
CNA (apache)CVSS 4.06.9
Patch
Available – fixed in 5.16.8, 5.17.7, 5.18.7 +1
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:H/AU:Y/R:A/V:D/RE:M/U:Red

Exploitation evidence

t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 7 May 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  4. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

Timeline

  1. CVE ID reserved

    by Apache Software Foundation

    , 68 days before disclosure

  2. CVE published

    on cve.org

    , t = 0

  3. First Exploit-DB entry (opens in a new tab)

    Apache ActiveMQ 6.1.6 - Denial of Service (DOS)

    , 2 days after disclosure

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 29 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacyAffected
  • <5.16.8
Fixed in
  • 5.16.8
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-clientAffected
  • <5.16.8
Fixed in
  • 5.16.8
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacyAffected
  • >=5.17.0 <5.17.7
Fixed in
  • 5.17.7
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacyAffected
  • >=5.18.0 <5.18.7
Fixed in
  • 5.18.7
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-openwire-legacyAffected
  • >=6.0.0 <6.1.6
Fixed in
  • 6.1.6
Mavenorg.apache.activemq:activemq-clientAffected
  • >=5.17.0 <5.17.7
Fixed in
  • 5.17.7

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value vulnerability in Apache ActiveMQ. During unmarshalling of OpenWire commands the size value of buffers was not properly validated which could lead to excessive memory allocation and be exploited to cause a denial of service (DoS) by depleting process memory, thereby affecting applications and services that rely on the availability of the ActiveMQ broker when not using mutual TLS connections. This issue affects Apache ActiveMQ: from 6.0.0 before 6.1.6, from 5.18.0 before 5.18.7, from 5.17.0 before 5.17.7, before 5.16.8. ActiveMQ 5.19.0 is not affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 6.1.6+, 5.19.0+, 5.18.7+, 5.17.7, or 5.16.8 or which fixes the issue. Existing users may implement mutual TLS to mitigate the risk on affected brokers.

References

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