CVE-2009-3882 in JDK
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the Swing implementation in Sun Java SE 5.0 before Update 22 and 6 before Update 17, and OpenJDK, have unknown impact and remote attack vectors, related to "information leaks in mutable variables," aka Bug Id 6657026.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3882 represents a critical information disclosure issue within the Swing graphical user interface implementation of Sun Java SE and OpenJDK platforms. This flaw specifically affects mutable variables within the Swing framework, creating potential pathways for unauthorized information exposure that could be exploited remotely. The vulnerability was documented under Bug ID 6657026 and affected multiple Java runtime environments including Java SE 5.0 before Update 22, Java SE 6 before Update 17, and various OpenJDK implementations. The unspecified nature of the exact vulnerabilities within the Swing component architecture suggests that multiple related weaknesses existed within the mutable variable handling mechanisms of the Java GUI framework.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of mutable variables within Swing components, where sensitive information could be inadvertently exposed through memory corruption or variable state leakage. When Swing components interact with mutable data structures, the vulnerability allows attackers to potentially access memory locations that should remain protected or hidden from external access. This issue falls under the broader category of information disclosure vulnerabilities where the flaw enables unauthorized data access through mechanisms that should maintain data confidentiality. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core GUI framework components that are fundamental to many Java applications, making it a widespread potential threat across numerous software implementations.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-3882 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the remote attack vectors suggest that malicious actors could exploit this weakness from external networks without requiring local system access. This vulnerability could enable attackers to extract sensitive data, potentially including system information, user credentials, or application-specific data that resides in mutable variables within Swing components. The implications are significant for enterprise applications that rely on Java Swing for user interfaces, as these systems could become vulnerable to information leakage attacks that compromise data integrity and confidentiality. The attack surface is particularly broad since Swing is used extensively in desktop applications, web applications, and enterprise systems where GUI components interact with sensitive data processing functions.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and potentially CWE-215 (Information Exposure Through Debug Information) categories, as the flaw enables unauthorized information access through improper variable handling. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability would likely follow ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and defense evasion, as attackers could leverage the information leaks to gain additional system access or to avoid detection through data manipulation. Organizations should prioritize patching affected Java installations, as the vulnerability affects multiple versions of Java SE and OpenJDK implementations. The remediation strategy should include immediate deployment of security updates from Oracle and OpenJDK maintainers, along with comprehensive application security reviews to identify any custom Swing components that might be susceptible to similar issues. Network segmentation and monitoring for unusual data access patterns should also be implemented as additional protective measures to detect potential exploitation attempts.