CVE-2009-1106 in JRE
Summary
by MITRE
The Java Plug-in in Java SE Development Kit (JDK) and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 12, 11, and 10 does not properly parse crossdomain.xml files, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and connect to arbitrary sites via unknown vectors, aka CR 6798948.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-1106 represents a critical security flaw in the Java Plug-in component of Oracle's Java SE Development Kit and Runtime Environment versions 6 Update 12, 11, and 10. This issue stems from improper parsing of crossdomain.xml files, which are standard XML configuration files used to define cross-domain access policies in Flash-based applications and web services. The flaw allows remote attackers to circumvent intended security restrictions that should prevent unauthorized network connections between different domains. The vulnerability operates through unknown vectors that exploit the Java Plug-in's failure to correctly validate and process crossdomain.xml policy files, potentially enabling attackers to establish connections to arbitrary remote systems without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Java Plug-in's inadequate handling of crossdomain.xml file parsing mechanisms. When applications attempt to establish network connections across domain boundaries, the Java Plug-in should enforce security policies defined in crossdomain.xml files to restrict access to specific domains or IP addresses. However, the flawed implementation allows attackers to manipulate or bypass these security checks through malformed or specially crafted crossdomain.xml content. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for attackers to perform unauthorized network operations, potentially leading to data exfiltration, command execution, or further exploitation of network services. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple access restriction bypass, as it undermines the fundamental security model of cross-domain policy enforcement that is critical for preventing unauthorized network communications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations deploying Java-based applications and web content that rely on cross-domain access controls. Attackers could leverage this flaw to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, access internal network resources that should be protected by cross-domain policies, or establish connections to malicious servers controlled by threat actors. The vulnerability's presence in multiple update versions of Java 6 suggests it was a persistent issue that affected a substantial portion of Java installations in 2009, potentially exposing numerous web applications and enterprise systems to unauthorized network access. The unknown vectors mentioned in the vulnerability description indicate that the attack surface may be broader than initially understood, potentially affecting various methods of cross-domain communication within Java applications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Java SE JDK and JRE, disabling Java Plug-in functionality where possible, and implementing network-level restrictions to prevent unauthorized outbound connections. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and relates to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and network infiltration. Security administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of Java-based applications and systems are essential to identify and remediate similar cross-domain access control vulnerabilities. The incident highlights the importance of proper XML parsing and validation in security-critical components, as well as the necessity of comprehensive testing for cross-domain policy enforcement mechanisms in enterprise security architectures.