CVE-2008-3103 in JRE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Java Management Extensions (JMX) management agent in Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in JDK and JRE 6 Update 6 and earlier and JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 15 and earlier, when local monitoring is enabled, allows remote attackers to "perform unauthorized operations" via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3103 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Management Extensions (JMX) management agent component of Sun Java Runtime Environment. This weakness specifically affects versions of JDK and JRE 6 Update 6 and earlier, as well as JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 15 and earlier, when local monitoring functionality is enabled. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified remote code execution risks that could potentially allow unauthorized operations to be performed against systems running vulnerable Java implementations. The JMX management agent serves as a crucial monitoring and management interface for Java applications, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where Java applications are extensively deployed.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate access controls and authentication mechanisms within the JMX management agent when local monitoring is enabled. This allows remote attackers to exploit unspecified vectors that bypass normal security boundaries, potentially enabling unauthorized access to management operations that should only be available to authorized local administrators. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic privilege escalation issue where the security model fails to properly validate remote requests against the management agent. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and potentially CWE-276, concerning insecure default permissions. The attack surface is expanded when local monitoring is enabled, as this functionality typically requires elevated privileges to access management beans and operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3103 is significant for organizations running vulnerable Java environments, particularly in enterprise settings where JMX monitoring is commonly implemented for application management and performance tracking. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute unauthorized management operations, access sensitive system information, modify application configurations, or even gain deeper system access through the management interfaces. The remote nature of the attack vector means that systems could be compromised from outside the local network perimeter, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for exposed Java applications. This threat aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through command and scripting interpreters, and T1068, concerning exploit for privilege escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of JDK and JRE, disabling local monitoring functionality when not required, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems. The recommended approach involves applying the official security patches released by Oracle, which address the underlying access control issues in the JMX management agent. Additionally, administrators should configure proper firewall rules to restrict access to JMX management ports, implement strong authentication mechanisms, and monitor for suspicious management operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security configuration management and the principle of least privilege in Java application environments. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts against JMX management interfaces, as this vulnerability could be targeted by automated scanning tools looking for exposed Java management interfaces.