CVE-2013-1480 in Java
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) component in Oracle Java SE 7 through Update 11, 6 through Update 38, 5.0 through Update 38, and 1.4.2_40 and earlier, and OpenJDK 6 and 7, allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to AWT. NOTE: the previous information is from the February 2013 CPU. Oracle has not commented on claims from another vendor that this issue is related to "insufficient validation of raster parameters" in awt_parseImage.c, which triggers memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1480 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Runtime Environment that affects multiple versions of Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations. This weakness resides within the AWT (Abstract Window Toolkit) component of the Java platform, which handles graphical user interface operations and image processing functions. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified suggests that the exact nature of the flaw was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, though subsequent analysis has pointed toward memory corruption issues stemming from inadequate validation of raster parameters within the awt_parseImage.c file. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory corruption vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution and system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote attack vectors that leverage the AWT component's image parsing capabilities. When Java applications process malformed image data or encounter specially crafted raster parameters, the insufficient validation mechanisms fail to properly check input boundaries and memory allocation parameters. This failure creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures through buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory-related anomalies. The vulnerability's impact extends across confidentiality, integrity, and availability aspects of the targeted systems, making it particularly dangerous as it can enable attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected Java application. The flaw's presence in multiple Java versions including the widely deployed Java 7 through Update 11 demonstrates the widespread nature of this security weakness.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1480 is substantial given Java's pervasive use in enterprise environments, web applications, and desktop applications. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through web browsers, Java applets, or any application that processes image data through the AWT framework. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that malicious actors can compromise systems without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly attractive for large-scale attacks. Organizations running affected Java versions face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The memory corruption aspects of this vulnerability align with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under techniques such as memory injection and code execution, where adversaries manipulate program memory to achieve unauthorized access or system control.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of affected Java installations to the latest available updates from Oracle or OpenJDK maintainers. System administrators should prioritize updating all Java environments, particularly those running on servers or in high-risk environments where remote exploitation is possible. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation, disabling Java applets in web browsers, and using application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of vulnerable Java components. Organizations should also consider monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and implement intrusion detection systems to identify potential abuse of this vulnerability. The vulnerability's relationship to CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, highlights the fundamental nature of the memory management issues that must be addressed through proper input validation and memory boundary checking. Given the historical context of this vulnerability and its inclusion in the February 2013 CPU, it serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all Java implementations, both commercial and open-source.