CVE-2005-4805 in Java System Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Sun Java System Application Server 7 Standard and Platform Edition 6 and earlier, and 2004Q2 Standard and Platform Edition Update 2 and earlier, allows remote attackers to obtain the source code for Java Server pages (JSP) via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4805 represents a critical security flaw in Sun Java System Application Server implementations that affected multiple versions including Standard and Platform Edition 6 and earlier, as well as the 2004Q2 releases. This unspecified weakness in the application server's architecture created a significant exposure that allowed remote attackers to access sensitive source code files for Java Server Pages, fundamentally compromising the confidentiality and integrity of deployed web applications. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper handling of requests for JSP source files, creating an attack surface that could be exploited without authentication or prior authorization.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and potentially CWE-502, concerning deserialization of untrusted data, though the exact implementation details remain unspecified. Attackers could leverage unknown vectors to traverse the application server's security boundaries and retrieve JSP source code, which typically contains business logic, database connection strings, and other sensitive implementation details that would otherwise remain protected. This exposure represents a severe information disclosure vulnerability that could enable attackers to understand application architecture, identify potential additional attack vectors, and potentially exploit other weaknesses within the same system. The lack of specific details about the attack vectors makes this particularly concerning as it suggests the vulnerability may be present across multiple implementation paths within the application server's request processing framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4805 extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as JSP source code typically contains database credentials, business logic implementations, and other sensitive components that could be used to compromise entire application environments. This vulnerability effectively undermines the security model of the application server, as it allows attackers to gain access to the underlying source code that should remain protected within the application's deployment environment. Organizations running affected versions of the Sun Java System Application Server would face significant risk of data breaches, intellectual property theft, and potential system compromise, as attackers could use the retrieved source code to develop more sophisticated attacks against the same systems or other applications within the network. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers could potentially compromise systems from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or local network presence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of the Sun Java System Application Server, as the vulnerability was likely addressed through proper access controls and request validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to application server components, deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter requests for source code files, and conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential exploitation that may have already occurred. The remediation process should include thorough code reviews to ensure no sensitive information remains exposed in the application's deployment configuration, along with implementing proper logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to source code files. Additionally, security teams should establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle information disclosure events, as the exposure of JSP source code represents a critical security event that requires immediate attention and comprehensive analysis to prevent further compromise of affected systems.