CVE-2009-2672 in JRE
Summary
by MITRE
The proxy mechanism implementation in Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in JDK and JRE 6 before Update 15, and JDK and JRE 5.0 before Update 20, does not prevent access to browser cookies by untrusted (1) applets and (2) Java Web Start applications, which allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2672 represents a critical security flaw in the Java Runtime Environment's proxy mechanism implementation that existed in various versions of JDK and JRE. This weakness specifically affects Java versions prior to Update 15 for JRE 6 and Update 20 for JRE 5.0, creating a significant risk for web application security. The flaw stems from insufficient isolation between trusted and untrusted Java applications, allowing malicious code to access sensitive browser cookie data that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The technical implementation flaw resides in how the Java proxy mechanism handles security boundaries between different application contexts. When applets and Java Web Start applications execute within the browser environment, they should be strictly separated from the underlying browser's security model to prevent unauthorized access to session data. However, this vulnerability allows untrusted code to bypass these security restrictions and directly access browser cookies that contain authentication tokens and session identifiers. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that attackers could exploit this through various attack surfaces including malicious web pages, compromised applications, or social engineering techniques that诱导 users to execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly translates to session hijacking capabilities for remote attackers. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can extract browser cookies containing web session identifiers, authentication tokens, and potentially sensitive user data. This enables them to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to protected web applications, potentially leading to complete account compromise, data theft, and privilege escalation. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of Java applications running in browser environments, undermining the trust model that should exist between the browser, Java runtime, and web applications. This weakness particularly impacts enterprise environments where users frequently access sensitive applications through web interfaces, making the potential attack surface extensive and dangerous.
Organizations should immediately apply the relevant security patches provided by Oracle for the affected Java versions, ensuring that all systems running JDK or JRE 5.0 through 6 Update 14 and JRE 6 through Update 19 are updated. Additional mitigations include implementing strict network access controls to limit Java applet execution, disabling Java Web Start applications when not required, and employing browser security measures such as disabling cookies for untrusted domains. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate cookie theft attempts, and organizations should consider implementing session management controls such as short session timeouts and secure cookie attributes. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access through browser-based attacks. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient sandboxing and boundary enforcement in Java's security architecture, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise environments.