CVE-2007-5238 in JDK
Summary
by MITRE
Java Web Start in Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 2 and earlier, JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 12 and earlier, and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_15 and earlier does not properly enforce access restrictions for untrusted applications, which allows user-assisted remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (the Java Web Start cache location) via an untrusted application, aka "three vulnerabilities."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5238 represents a critical security flaw in Java Web Start functionality across multiple versions of Sun's Java Development Kit and Java Runtime Environment. This issue affects JDK and JRE versions 6 Update 2 and earlier, JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 12 and earlier, as well as SDK and JRE 1.4.2_15 and earlier, creating a widespread impact across the Java ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms that fail to properly isolate untrusted applications from sensitive system resources, particularly the Java Web Start cache location.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper enforcement of access restrictions for applications launched through Java Web Start. When untrusted applications are executed within the Java environment, the security boundaries that should prevent these applications from accessing sensitive system information are inadequately maintained. This allows malicious or compromised applications to obtain information about the Java Web Start cache location, which serves as a critical attack surface for further exploitation. The vulnerability operates under the principle of privilege escalation through information disclosure, where untrusted code gains access to privileged information that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised system. Attackers can leverage the exposed cache location information to craft targeted attacks against the Java Web Start environment, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or further privilege escalation. The vulnerability enables user-assisted remote attackers to exploit this weakness, meaning that social engineering or phishing techniques could be employed to deliver malicious applications that take advantage of the improper access controls. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where Java Web Start applications are commonly used for deploying business applications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Java, disabling Java Web Start functionality when not required, and implementing network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious Java applications. The affected systems require comprehensive security assessments to identify applications that might be vulnerable to this type of information disclosure attack, and administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted Java Web Start applications. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious access patterns to Java cache directories should be implemented as part of the overall security posture to detect potential exploitation attempts.