# CVE-2012-4446: Improper Authentication in Apache Qpid

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication in Apache Qpid when federation_tag is enabled, allowing unauthorized access to the AMQP broker.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Mar 2013
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mrgh-6x42-x6xf, UBUNTU-CVE-2012-4446

## What is CVE-2012-4446?

CVE-2012-4446 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Mar 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The default configuration for Apache Qpid 0.20 and earlier, when the federation_tag attribute is enabled, accepts AMQP connections without checking the source user ID, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and have other unspecified impact via an AMQP request.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-4446?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.qpid:qpid-client. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.qpid:qpid-client` | Maven | All versions | 0.20 |
| `org.apache.qpid:qpid-client` | Maven | All versions | 0.20 |

Products: Apache Qpid.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-4446?

Upgrade org.apache.qpid:qpid-client to 0.20 or later.

## Is CVE-2012-4446 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4446 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2015-0224](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0224/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2011-3620](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3620/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2019-0223](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0223/): Security feature bypass in Apache Qpid Proton (high 7.4)
- [CVE-2015-0203](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0203/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2013-1909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1909/): Apache Qpid Python client Improper certificate validation (medium 5.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-4446 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-4446 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Mar 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4446 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.qpid:qpid-client (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 0.20
- org.apache.qpid:qpid-client (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 0.20

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4446/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4446/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-4446
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4446
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-4446

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4446/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.