CVE-2010-3554 in Java
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the CORBA 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 related to "permissions granted to certain system objects."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3554 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle Java SE and Java for Business platforms, specifically affecting CORBA component implementations across multiple version releases. This unspecified flaw manifests within the core Java runtime environment where CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) functionality is implemented, creating potential attack surfaces that could be exploited by remote threat actors. The vulnerability affects Java versions 6 Update 21, 5.0 Update 25, 1.4.2_27, and 1.3.1_28, indicating a broad impact across the Java ecosystem's historical versions. The lack of specific technical details in the initial description suggests this vulnerability may have been classified as a complex or subtle security flaw that required further analysis to fully understand its attack vectors and exploitation mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the realm of distributed object communication systems where CORBA components handle remote procedure calls and object interactions across network boundaries. The CORBA component in Java serves as a middleware layer that enables distributed applications to communicate seamlessly regardless of their underlying platforms or programming languages. When compromised, this component can potentially allow attackers to manipulate the underlying system objects and their associated permissions, creating opportunities for unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors indicates that attackers could potentially exploit multiple pathways including but not limited to object access controls, permission management, and system object manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3554 extends across all three fundamental principles of information security - confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially compromise the confidentiality of system data by accessing restricted objects and information that should not be publicly available. The integrity aspect becomes compromised when unauthorized modifications to system objects or their configurations could occur, potentially leading to data corruption or unauthorized system state changes. Availability is threatened as attackers might be able to disrupt services or cause system instability through manipulation of the CORBA component's object management functions. The vulnerability's classification as affecting "unknown vectors" suggests that the attack surface may be broader than initially understood, potentially encompassing multiple exploitation techniques that could be leveraged by sophisticated threat actors.
Security researchers and organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of the Common Weakness Enumeration framework where such issues typically relate to improper access control mechanisms and object-oriented security flaws. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques where attackers could leverage system object permissions to gain elevated privileges. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt patching of affected Java versions, network segmentation to limit access to Java applications, and enhanced monitoring of CORBA-related system activities. The vulnerability's relationship to "permissions granted to certain system objects" as noted by downstream vendors suggests that access control mechanisms within the CORBA implementation may have been improperly configured or contain logical flaws that allow unauthorized privilege escalation. Given the age of affected versions and the potential for remote exploitation, system administrators should prioritize upgrading to patched Java releases and implementing additional security controls to protect against potential exploitation attempts.