CVE-2007-4467 in JInitiator
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the Oracle JInitiator ActiveX control (beans.ocx) 1.1.8.16 and earlier, as used by Oracle Forms applications from Oracle and third parties, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified "initialization parameters." NOTE: it was later reported that 1.1.8.3 through 1.1.8.25, and probably 1.1.5.x and 1.1.7.x, are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4467 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting the Oracle JInitiator ActiveX control component known as beans.ocx version 1.1.8.16 and earlier. This flaw exists within Oracle Forms applications that utilize Oracle JInitiator for Java applet execution, creating a significant security risk that extends beyond Oracle's own implementations to include third-party applications that depend on the same vulnerable component. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the initialization phase of the ActiveX control when processing unspecified initialization parameters, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through web-based interactions without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs due to inadequate input validation within the JInitiator ActiveX control implementation. When the control processes initialization parameters, it fails to properly bounds-check input data before copying it into fixed-length stack buffers, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This classic stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability falls under CWE-121 which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking permits buffer overflows to overwrite adjacent stack memory. The vulnerability affects multiple versions including 1.1.8.3 through 1.1.8.25 and potentially older versions 1.1.5.x and 1.1.7.x, indicating a widespread issue within the JInitiator component family that persisted across several release cycles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged by attackers to gain complete control over affected systems. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in Internet Explorer with the vulnerable JInitiator ActiveX control installed, will trigger the buffer overflow and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the browser. This represents a critical privilege escalation vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The vulnerability affects systems running Oracle Forms applications that depend on JInitiator, which were commonly deployed in enterprise environments for web-based database applications, making the attack surface particularly large.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including patching the affected JInitiator versions to the latest available releases that contain the necessary memory bounds checking fixes. Organizations should also implement browser security measures such as disabling ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer, implementing application whitelisting policies, and using security software that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be employed to detect suspicious network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date ActiveX components and highlights the risks associated with legacy Java applet implementations that continue to be deployed in enterprise environments, as these components often contain outdated security practices that make them prime targets for exploitation.