CVE-2025-4057 is a vulnerability identified in ActiveMQ Artemis, specifically affecting the AMQ Broker version 7.13.0.OPR.1.GA developed by Red Hat. The core issue arises from the use of weak credentials due to the password generated by the activemq-artemis-operator not regenerating between separated Custom Resource (CR) dependencies. This means that when multiple CR dependencies are deployed or updated separately, the operator reuses the same password instead of generating a new one. Consequently, this flaw can lead to credential reuse across different instances or deployments, increasing the risk of unauthorized access if one set of credentials is compromised. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, classified as medium severity. The vector indicates that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality (C:H) but not integrity or availability. The vulnerability does not currently have known exploits in the wild. The flaw primarily affects the confidentiality of the system by potentially exposing sensitive data or allowing unauthorized read access through credential reuse. Since the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, an attacker with some level of access to the environment could exploit this weakness to escalate their access or move laterally within the network. The lack of password regeneration between CR dependencies suggests a design or implementation oversight in the operator's credential management process, which could be exploited in environments where multiple ActiveMQ Artemis instances are managed via Kubernetes or OpenShift operators. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure credential lifecycle management in container orchestration environments.

For European organizations, especially those leveraging Red Hat AMQ Broker in containerized or cloud-native environments, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk. The reuse of passwords across separate CR dependencies can lead to credential compromise and unauthorized access to messaging infrastructure, which is often critical for enterprise applications and inter-service communication. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive business data, intellectual property, or personal data protected under GDPR, potentially leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The requirement for local access and low privileges means that insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds could exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges or move laterally, increasing the attack surface. Organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, and government, which rely heavily on messaging brokers for real-time data processing and integration, could face operational disruptions or data leaks. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate risk, but the medium severity and nature of the flaw warrant proactive mitigation to prevent future exploitation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-4057, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Upgrade to a patched version of AMQ Broker once Red Hat releases a fix addressing the password regeneration issue in the activemq-artemis-operator. 2) Until a patch is available, manually rotate passwords for all ActiveMQ Artemis instances managed by the operator, ensuring unique credentials for each CR dependency to prevent reuse. 3) Implement strict access controls and monitoring on environments where the operator is deployed to limit local access and detect suspicious activities indicative of credential misuse or lateral movement. 4) Review and harden Kubernetes or OpenShift RBAC policies to restrict who can create or modify CR dependencies, reducing the risk of unauthorized password exposure. 5) Employ network segmentation and encryption for messaging traffic to minimize the impact of compromised credentials. 6) Integrate credential management best practices, such as using external secrets management tools (e.g., HashiCorp Vault, Red Hat Vault) to handle passwords dynamically and securely. 7) Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on container orchestration and messaging infrastructure to identify and remediate similar weaknesses proactively.