Impact
IBM MQ may allow an authenticated user to trigger a denial of service or corrupt memory by failing to enforce proper buffer size limits during MQOPEN operations. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of input sizes, potentially leading to uncontrolled allocation or overwriting of memory boundaries. A successful exploitation could cause the MQ service to crash, halt message processing, or destabilize the system memory, impacting availability and stability.
Affected Systems
Affected items include IBM MQ advanced container images and the MQ operator in their various releases. Specifically, IBM MQ Operator versions v4.1.0, v4.0.5, and v3.2.30, as well as container images at 10.0.1.0-r1, 10.0.0.5-r2, 9.4.0.26-r2, and earlier 9.x releases, are susceptible. The vulnerability is present in the set of CPEs listed for IBM MQ advanced container images and the MQ operator across multiple software iterations.
Risk and Exploitability
The CVSS score of 8.8 classifies this flaw as a high severity issue. Although no EPSS score is available, the lack of an EPSS value does not diminish the potential for exploitation. The flaw is not catalogued in the CISA KEV, but the format implies that only authenticated users who can issue MQOPEN commands are required to exploit it. Attackers would need legitimate MQ credentials, and the vulnerability could be leveraged to cause service disruption or memory corruption on the host running the MQ container or operator.
OpenCVE Enrichment