CVE-2008-1195 in Java JRE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Sun JDK and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 4 and earlier and 5.0 Update 14 and earlier; and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_16 and earlier; allows remote attackers to access arbitrary network services on the local host via unspecified vectors related to JavaScript and Java APIs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
This vulnerability resides within the Sun JDK and Java Runtime Environment implementations where an unspecified flaw exists in the handling of JavaScript and Java APIs that enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to local network services. The vulnerability affects multiple versions including JDK/JRE 6 Update 4 and earlier, JDK/JRE 5.0 Update 14 and earlier, as well as SDK and JRE 1.4.2_16 and earlier versions. The security flaw operates through unspecified vectors that leverage the interaction between JavaScript execution contexts and Java application programming interfaces, creating a potential pathway for attackers to bypass normal network access controls and directly access services bound to the local host interface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and potentially CWE-94, concerning the execution of arbitrary code through code injection vulnerabilities. The flaw exploits the trust relationship between JavaScript and Java APIs within the browser environment, allowing malicious JavaScript code to invoke Java methods that should normally be restricted to local execution contexts. This creates a dangerous attack surface where remote code execution can occur through the Java Runtime Environment's handling of cross-domain requests and API access permissions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to enterprise environments where Java applets and web-based applications are deployed. Attackers can potentially access local services such as databases, file servers, or administrative interfaces that are typically protected by network firewalls or access control lists. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable full system compromise through lateral movement and privilege escalation attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments with older Java versions where patch management may be delayed or incomplete, creating persistent attack vectors that can remain undetected for extended periods.
The mitigation strategy requires immediate deployment of security patches from Oracle, specifically updating to versions that address this unspecified flaw in JavaScript-Java API interactions. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate Java-enabled environments from critical internal services, and consider disabling Java applet execution in web browsers where possible. Additionally, implementing proper access control lists and firewall rules to restrict local service access can help contain potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date Java installations and following security best practices outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for JavaScript execution and T1068 for local privilege escalation through API manipulation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running affected Java versions and ensure proper remediation measures are implemented across all networked environments.