CVE-2008-5339 in SDKJDK
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Java Web Start (JWS) and Java Plug-in with Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 10 and earlier; JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 16 and earlier; and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_18 and earlier allows untrusted JWS applications to perform network connections to unauthorized hosts via unknown vectors, aka CR 6727079.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-5339 represents a significant security flaw in Java Web Start and Java Plug-in components across multiple Java runtime versions. This issue affects Sun JDK and JRE versions 6 Update 10 and earlier, JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 16 and earlier, as well as SDK and JRE 1.4.2_18 and earlier, creating a widespread impact across legacy Java implementations. The vulnerability specifically allows untrusted Java Web Start applications to establish network connections to unauthorized hosts through unspecified attack vectors, fundamentally compromising the security boundaries that should protect users from malicious code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient network access controls within the Java Web Start and Java Plug-in frameworks. When users launch untrusted applications through these components, the security model fails to properly restrict network communication capabilities, enabling malicious code to bypass standard security restrictions. This represents a classic sandbox escape scenario where application isolation is compromised, allowing unauthorized network operations that could include data exfiltration, command and control communications, or exploitation of other network-based vulnerabilities. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw may involve multiple attack pathways including but not limited to socket creation, HTTP requests, or DNS resolution operations that should normally be restricted for untrusted code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network connectivity issues, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Java applications running in web environments. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent connections to malicious servers, potentially enabling remote code execution scenarios or data theft operations. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Java versions including older 1.4.2 releases indicates that organizations with legacy systems were particularly at risk, as these older versions often remain in production environments due to compatibility requirements or lack of upgrade resources. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where older Java versions may be used for critical applications that are not easily updated or replaced.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5339 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Java installations to the latest available versions, with particular attention to upgrading from vulnerable versions to secure releases. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized connections from Java applications, as this vulnerability specifically enables network activity that may not be visible through standard application monitoring. The use of Java security policies and custom security managers should be reviewed and strengthened to enforce stricter network access controls for Java Web Start applications. Additionally, administrators should consider disabling Java Web Start and Java Plug-in functionality where possible, particularly in environments where these components are not essential for business operations. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059 and T1071 techniques, specifically targeting application execution and network protocol manipulation, while the underlying security flaw corresponds to CWE-284 which addresses improper access control in software systems.