CVE-2013-1500 in Java
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) component in Oracle Java SE 7 Update 21 and earlier, 6 Update 45 and earlier, and 5.0 Update 45 and earlier, and OpenJDK 7, allows local users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to 2D. NOTE: the previous information is from the June 2013 CPU. Oracle has not commented on claims from another vendor that this issue is related to weak permissions for shared memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1500 represents a significant security weakness within the Java Runtime Environment component of Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations. This flaw exists in multiple versions including Java SE 7 Update 21 and earlier, Java SE 6 Update 45 and earlier, Java SE 5.0 Update 45 and earlier, as well as OpenJDK 7. The vulnerability specifically relates to the 2D graphics component of Java, which handles rendering and manipulation of graphical elements within applications. The lack of specific details in the initial description suggests this may involve complex interactions between graphics rendering processes and system memory management that could potentially be exploited to compromise system integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and permission management within the Java 2D graphics subsystem. According to CWE classification, this issue likely falls under CWE-276, which deals with incorrect permissions for critical resources, or potentially CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls. The vulnerability's relationship to shared memory operations indicates that attackers might exploit improper memory management practices within the graphics rendering pipeline to gain unauthorized access to system resources or manipulate data in ways that could compromise confidentiality and integrity. The June 2013 CPU (Critical Patch Update) release timeline suggests this was part of Oracle's regular security maintenance cycle, though the vendor's limited disclosure indicates the complexity or sensitivity of the underlying issue.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to systems running affected Java versions, particularly in enterprise environments where Java applications are widely deployed. Local attackers who can execute code on a system with vulnerable Java installations could potentially leverage this weakness to manipulate shared memory segments used by graphics rendering operations. The impact extends beyond simple data corruption or information disclosure, as the vulnerability could enable privilege escalation or provide a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. Attackers might exploit this to gain elevated system privileges or manipulate graphics-related data in ways that could affect application behavior, potentially leading to system compromise or data breaches. The fact that this affects multiple Java versions including older releases indicates the widespread nature of the vulnerability and the long-standing nature of the permission management flaw.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1500 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched Java releases, which would address the underlying permission and memory management issues within the 2D graphics component. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted Java applications, particularly those that might interact with graphics rendering components. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual graphics-related memory access patterns or shared memory manipulation that might indicate exploitation attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could map to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through system-level components, making it important for security teams to monitor for these attack patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments of graphics and multimedia components in enterprise environments, as these areas are often overlooked in traditional security reviews but can provide significant attack vectors for determined adversaries.