CVE-2026-69220: RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader Denial of Service Vulnerability
HIGHCVE-2026-69220 is a HIGH denial of service vulnerability (CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion) affecting RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves unbounded recursive table/array nesting causes stackoverflowerror dos. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 5.33.1.
CVE-2026-69220 at a Glance
How to Fix CVE-2026-69220
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
<dependency>
<groupId>com.rabbitmq</groupId>
<artifactId>amqp-client</artifactId>
<version>5.33.1</version>
</dependency>Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.rabbitmqHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-69220, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.rabbitmqAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 5.33.1), your application is affected.
Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.rabbitmq command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion, where the product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. In RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2026-69220 Affected RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader Versions
1 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
com.rabbitmq:amqp-client
|
Maven |
< 5.33.1
|
5.33.1
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-69220?
Which RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-69220?
Is amqp-client affected?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-69220?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-69220?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-93j5-89vc-pph4",
"modified" : "2026-08-18T16:32:12Z",
"published" : "2026-08-18T16:32:12Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-69220" ],
"summary" : "RabbitMQ Java client ValueReader: Unbounded recursive table/array nesting causes StackOverflowError DoS",
"details" : "## Summary\n\n`ValueReader.readTable()` and `readArray()` recursively call `readFieldValue()` with no depth limit. A malicious AMQP peer can crash the client JVM by sending a deeply nested table structure.\n\n## Vulnerable Code\n\n`src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/client/impl/ValueReader.java` lines 139-155 and 237-249:\n\n```java\nprivate static Map<String, Object> readTable(DataInputStream in) throws IOException {\n long tableLength = unsignedExtend(in.readInt());\n // ...\n while(tableIn.available() > 0) {\n String name = readShortstr(tableIn);\n Object value = readFieldValue(tableIn); // recursive call\n }\n}\n\nstatic Object readFieldValue(DataInputStream in) throws IOException {\n switch(in.readUnsignedByte()) {\n case 'F': value = readTable(in); // mutual recursion\n case 'A': value = readArray(in); // mutual recursion\n }\n}\n```\n\n## Attack Scenario\n\nA malicious AMQP server (or MitM) sends a `connection.start` frame with ~580 levels of nested tables. Each level costs ~7 bytes (4-byte length + 1-byte key length + 1-byte key + 1-byte type tag), totaling ~4060 bytes within the 131,072 byte max frame size. With the default JVM stack (~512KB, ~864 bytes/frame), this triggers `StackOverflowError`, killing the I/O thread.\n\nExploitable pre-authentication since `connection.start` is the very first server frame.\n\n## Impact\n\nDenial of service. `StackOverflowError` kills the client I/O thread.\n\n## CWE\n\nCWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion\n\n## Remediation\n\nAdd a depth counter to `readTable`/`readArray`/`readFieldValue` and throw `MalformedFrameException` when exceeding a threshold (e.g., 32).",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V4",
"score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "com.rabbitmq:amqp-client"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "5.33.1"
} ]
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 5.33.0"
}
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/security/advisories/GHSA-93j5-89vc-pph4"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/pull/2007"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/pull/2008"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/commit/09af76fce136f3136931654a0a1d43095c80e2f0"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/commit/db89e34809fbc6ba4e946615f297f3684ccd0acc"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-java-client/releases/tag/v5.33.1"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-674" ],
"severity" : "HIGH",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2026-08-18T16:32:12Z",
"nvd_published_at" : null
}
}