📄 Description (English)
Apache ActiveMQ Improper Input Validation Vulnerability — The Fileserver web application in Apache ActiveMQ allows remote attackers to upload and execute arbitrary files via an HTTP PUT followed by an HTTP MOVE request
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2016-3088 is a critical vulnerability in Apache ActiveMQ's Fileserver web application that allows remote attackers to upload and execute arbitrary files via HTTP PUT followed by HTTP MOVE requests. This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.0 and known exploits are publicly available, making it extremely dangerous for any exposed ActiveMQ instance. The vulnerability enables full remote code execution (RCE) on affected servers, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Despite being disclosed in 2016, unpatched instances remain common in enterprise environments and this CVE is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 5, 2026 10:49
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Apache ActiveMQ is widely used as a message broker in enterprise environments across Saudi Arabia, particularly in banking (SAMA-regulated institutions), government e-services (NCA-governed), telecom operators (STC, Mobily, Zain), and energy sector (ARAMCO, SABIC) for system integration and middleware. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain full control of message broker infrastructure, intercept sensitive financial transactions, manipulate government service communications, or pivot into critical OT/IT networks in the energy sector. Given that ActiveMQ often sits at the core of enterprise service buses handling sensitive data flows, compromise could have cascading effects across interconnected Saudi critical infrastructure.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking
Government
Energy
Telecom
Healthcare
Retail
Transportation
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Identify all Apache ActiveMQ instances in your environment, especially those with the Fileserver web application enabled
2. Block external access to ActiveMQ web console and Fileserver (ports 8161, 61616) via firewall rules immediately
3. Disable or remove the Fileserver web application if not required — delete the fileserver webapp from the ActiveMQ installation
Patching Guidance:
4. Upgrade Apache ActiveMQ to version 5.14.0 or later where the Fileserver application has been removed
5. If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict access to the Fileserver web application using authentication and IP whitelisting in jetty.xml
Compensating Controls:
6. Implement WAF rules to block HTTP PUT and MOVE requests to ActiveMQ Fileserver endpoints
7. Enable detailed logging for all HTTP requests to ActiveMQ web applications
8. Deploy file integrity monitoring on ActiveMQ installation directories
Detection Rules:
9. Monitor for HTTP PUT requests followed by HTTP MOVE requests targeting ActiveMQ Fileserver paths
10. Alert on new or modified JSP/WAR files in ActiveMQ webapps directories
11. Implement IDS/IPS signatures for CVE-2016-3088 exploitation attempts
12. Search for indicators of compromise: unexpected files in /fileserver/ or /admin/ directories
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع مثيلات Apache ActiveMQ في بيئتكم، خاصة تلك التي تم تمكين تطبيق Fileserver فيها
2. حظر الوصول الخارجي إلى وحدة تحكم ActiveMQ وFileserver (المنافذ 8161، 61616) عبر قواعد جدار الحماية فوراً
3. تعطيل أو إزالة تطبيق Fileserver إذا لم يكن مطلوباً — حذف تطبيق fileserver من تثبيت ActiveMQ
إرشادات التحديث:
4. ترقية Apache ActiveMQ إلى الإصدار 5.14.0 أو أحدث حيث تمت إزالة تطبيق Fileserver
5. إذا لم تكن الترقية الفورية ممكنة، تقييد الوصول إلى تطبيق Fileserver باستخدام المصادقة وقوائم IP المسموح بها في jetty.xml
الضوابط التعويضية:
6. تطبيق قواعد WAF لحظر طلبات HTTP PUT وMOVE الموجهة لنقاط نهاية ActiveMQ Fileserver
7. تمكين التسجيل التفصيلي لجميع طلبات HTTP لتطبيقات ActiveMQ
8. نشر مراقبة سلامة الملفات على مجلدات تثبيت ActiveMQ
قواعد الكشف:
9. مراقبة طلبات HTTP PUT متبوعة بطلبات HTTP MOVE التي تستهدف مسارات ActiveMQ Fileserver
10. التنبيه عند وجود ملفات JSP/WAR جديدة أو معدلة في مجلدات تطبيقات ActiveMQ
11. تطبيق توقيعات IDS/IPS لمحاولات استغلال CVE-2016-3088
12. البحث عن مؤشرات الاختراق: ملفات غير متوقعة في مجلدات /fileserver/ أو /admin/
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
2-3-1 (Patch Management)
2-5-1 (Network Security)
2-6-1 (Web Application Security)
2-2-1 (Asset Management)
2-9-1 (Vulnerability Management)
🔵 SAMA CSF
3.3.3 (Patch Management)
3.3.4 (Vulnerability Management)
3.3.7 (Network Security Management)
3.3.5 (Change Management)
3.4.1 (Incident Management)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.8.8 (Management of technical vulnerabilities)
A.8.9 (Configuration management)
A.8.20 (Networks security)
A.8.23 (Web filtering)
A.8.28 (Secure coding)
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
6.3.3 (Patching security vulnerabilities)
6.4 (Public-facing web applications protection)
2.2 (System configuration standards)
11.3 (Penetration testing)
10.6 (Log monitoring)
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Apache:ActiveMQ