CVE-2008-5347 in SDKJDK
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 10 and earlier allow untrusted applets and applications to gain privileges via vectors related to access to inner classes in the (1) JAX-WS and (2) JAXB packages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5347 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Runtime Environment that affects Sun JDK and JRE versions 6 Update 10 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the JAX-WS and JAXB packages, which are essential components for web services and XML data binding in Java applications. The flaw enables untrusted applets and applications to escalate privileges through improper access controls related to inner classes within these frameworks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms within the JAX-WS and JAXB packages. When Java applets or applications attempt to access inner classes within these components, the security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized access are inadequately enforced. This allows malicious code to bypass the standard security restrictions that typically prevent applets from accessing sensitive system resources or performing privileged operations. The vulnerability operates at the class loading and access control level, where inner classes are not properly isolated from untrusted code execution contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides attackers with a pathway to escalate privileges within Java-based applications. An attacker could potentially exploit this flaw by crafting malicious applets that leverage the improper access to inner classes in JAX-WS and JAXB components. This could result in unauthorized access to system resources, potential information disclosure, or even complete system compromise depending on the execution environment. The vulnerability particularly affects web-based applications where applets are executed in restricted security contexts, making it a serious concern for enterprise environments that rely on Java applets for functionality.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and relates to the broader category of privilege escalation flaws in Java security implementations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage application-level security flaws to gain elevated privileges. The remediation strategy involves applying the appropriate security patches from Sun Microsystems that address the access control issues in the JAX-WS and JAXB packages. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and application whitelisting to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in their environments. Additionally, migrating away from Java applets toward modern web technologies represents a long-term solution to eliminate exposure to these legacy security flaws.