CVE-2010-0838 in JRE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Java 2D component in Oracle Java SE and Java for Business 6 Update 18, 5.0, Update, and 23 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors. NOTE: the previous information was obtained from the March 2010 CPU. Oracle has not commented on claims from a reliable researcher that this is a stack-based buffer overflow using an untrusted size value in the readMabCurveData function in the CMM module in the JVM.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0838 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Java SE and Java for Business implementations that affects multiple version releases including Java 6 Update 18, Java 5.0, and Java 23. This issue resides within the Java 2D component which is responsible for rendering graphics and handling various graphical operations within the Java Virtual Machine environment. The vulnerability was initially documented in March 2010 as part of Oracle's quarterly patch update cycle, though subsequent analysis by security researchers revealed more specific details about the underlying technical mechanism. The Java 2D component serves as a fundamental part of the Java platform's graphics subsystem and is widely used across enterprise applications, web browsers, and desktop environments making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a security perspective.
Technical analysis reveals that CVE-2010-0838 manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability specifically within the readMabCurveData function located in the CMM (Color Management Module) component of the JVM. This function processes color management data and appears to handle untrusted size values that are not properly validated before being used to allocate stack memory. The flaw occurs when the application processes certain color profile data or graphics operations that trigger the vulnerable code path. The buffer overflow vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking where a maliciously crafted input value is used to determine stack allocation size, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a critical weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog and is often exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple attack vectors and affects the fundamental security properties of confidentiality, integrity, and availability as specified in the original CVE description. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring local access or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is amplified by the widespread use of Java across enterprise applications and web services, where the Java 2D component is frequently invoked during graphics rendering operations. Attackers can craft malicious graphics files, color profiles, or web content that when processed by vulnerable Java applications triggers the buffer overflow condition. The vulnerability affects not just standalone Java applications but also web applets and Java-based web services, creating a broad attack surface that can be leveraged across multiple deployment scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-0838 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Java installations to the latest available versions from Oracle, as this vulnerability was addressed through subsequent security updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Java-based systems to untrusted networks or users, particularly in environments where Java applets or web content processing is prevalent. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual graphics processing patterns or memory allocation behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, application whitelisting policies can help restrict execution of untrusted Java applications and reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability's classification as a stack-based buffer overflow aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, indicating that exploitation typically involves crafting malicious input to trigger the vulnerable code path. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary Java applet support in web browsers and implementing additional runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention mechanisms to complicate exploitation attempts.