CVE-2010-4462 in JDK
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in Oracle Java SE and Java for Business 6 Update 23 and earlier, 5.0 Update 27 and earlier, and 1.4.2_29 and earlier allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors related to Sound and unspecified APIs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4462 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Runtime Environment that affects multiple versions of Oracle's Java SE and Java for Business platforms. This issue resides in the sound subsystem and unspecified APIs, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by remote threat actors to compromise system security. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains partially undisclosed, though its impact spans all three fundamental principles of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Such a broad impact vector suggests the flaw may be particularly dangerous as it could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system disruption without requiring local access or specific user interaction.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies within the sound handling components of the JRE, specifically within the audio APIs that process multimedia content. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness through malicious Java applets or applications that utilize sound-related functionality, exploiting the underlying implementation flaws in how audio data is processed or managed. The unspecified APIs mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability may affect multiple audio-related interfaces within the Java platform, potentially including javax.sound, Java Sound API, or related multimedia libraries. This broad scope increases the exploitability of the vulnerability across various Java applications that incorporate audio processing capabilities.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable full system compromise. The ability to affect confidentiality means that sensitive information could be accessed by unauthorized parties, while integrity concerns suggest that data modification or corruption is possible. Availability impacts could manifest as denial of service conditions that prevent legitimate users from accessing system resources or applications. Attackers might exploit this vulnerability through web-based attacks where malicious Java applets are delivered through compromised websites, allowing them to execute arbitrary code on victim systems. The remote exploit capability means that no local system access is required, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where users may unknowingly interact with malicious content.
The vulnerability aligns with several cybersecurity frameworks and threat models, particularly those addressing software supply chain security and application sandboxing failures. From a CWE perspective, this issue relates to weaknesses in sound processing and API implementation that could be categorized under CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer or CWE-254 Security Features. The attack surface maps to ATT&CK techniques involving execution through web-based attacks and potentially privilege escalation. Organizations using affected Java versions face significant risk as this vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including drive-by downloads, compromised websites, or malicious email attachments that contain Java applets. The lack of specific exploit details in the CVE description suggests that this vulnerability may have been widely exploited in the wild, making immediate remediation critical for all affected systems.
Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to update to the latest versions of Java SE and Java for Business that address this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of all Java applications to ensure compatibility with updated versions, as well as monitoring for any exploitation attempts through network intrusion detection systems. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and application whitelisting policies to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures may include disabling Java plugin execution in web browsers, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential attack vectors within the Java ecosystem. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining current security patches and the critical nature of third-party software security in enterprise environments.