CVE-2010-3549 in Java
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Networking component in Oracle Java SE and Java for Business 6 Update 21, 5.0 Update 25, 1.4.2_27, and 1.3.1_28 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors. NOTE: the previous information was obtained from the October 2010 CPU. Oracle has not commented on claims from a reliable downstream vendor that this is an HTTP request splitting vulnerability involving the handling of the chunked transfer encoding method by the HttpURLConnection class.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3549 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle Java SE and Java for Business implementations that affects multiple version releases including Java 6 Update 21, Java 5.0 Update 25, and older versions. This unspecified vulnerability falls under the broader category of network protocol handling issues that can compromise the fundamental security properties of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability was initially disclosed through Oracle's October 2010 Critical Patch Update, indicating its severity and the need for immediate attention from system administrators and security professionals. The lack of detailed technical information in the initial description suggests that this vulnerability may have been particularly complex or that Oracle was still investigating the full scope of its impact at the time of disclosure.
Technical analysis reveals that this vulnerability is believed to involve HTTP request splitting through improper handling of chunked transfer encoding within the HttpURLConnection class. The chunked transfer encoding mechanism is a standard HTTP feature that allows data to be sent in multiple chunks rather than as a single contiguous block, which is particularly useful for large data transfers or when the total data size is unknown. The flaw occurs when the Java networking component fails to properly validate or process these chunked requests, potentially allowing attackers to inject malicious content or manipulate the HTTP communication flow. This type of vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-444, which describes improper handling of HTTP requests, and represents a classic example of how HTTP protocol implementations can be exploited to compromise application security.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3549 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it can potentially enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including man-in-the-middle attacks, session hijacking, or data manipulation. When exploited, this vulnerability could allow remote attackers to inject additional HTTP requests into the communication stream, effectively splitting legitimate requests and potentially bypassing security controls that rely on proper request isolation. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates at the network protocol level within the Java runtime environment, meaning that applications leveraging the affected networking components could be compromised without requiring additional privileges or specialized attack vectors. This vulnerability directly maps to several tactics in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to command and control through HTTP protocols and protocol tunneling.
System administrators and security professionals should prioritize immediate patching of affected Java installations, as the vulnerability affects multiple supported versions across different Java releases. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the latest available Java versions that contain fixes for this HTTP request splitting vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on chunked transfer encoding usage. Additional protective measures include implementing proper network segmentation, using firewalls to restrict unnecessary HTTP traffic, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed HTTP requests. Security teams should also consider conducting vulnerability assessments to identify any applications that may be directly or indirectly vulnerable due to their reliance on the affected networking components, ensuring comprehensive protection across all Java-based applications within their infrastructure.