CVE-2013-2446 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 remote attackers to affect confidentiality via vectors related to CORBA. NOTE: the previous information is from the June 2013 CPU. Oracle has not commented on claims from another vendor that this issue does not properly enforce access restrictions for CORBA output streams.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2446 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Runtime Environment component of Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations. This issue affects 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, along with OpenJDK 7. The vulnerability specifically relates to CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) functionality within the Java environment, making it particularly concerning for enterprise systems that rely heavily on distributed object communication. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that the flaw involves improper access control mechanisms within the CORBA output stream handling, which could potentially allow unauthorized parties to manipulate or access sensitive data streams.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access restriction enforcement within the CORBA subsystem of the Java Runtime Environment. When applications utilize CORBA for distributed object communication, the output streams that handle serialized data transmissions may not properly validate or restrict access to sensitive information. This weakness creates a potential pathway for remote attackers to exploit the system by manipulating CORBA output streams, potentially leading to data disclosure or other confidentiality violations. The vulnerability's classification under CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) would likely fall within categories related to improper access control or insufficient output validation, specifically CWE-284 for improper access control and CWE-20 for improper input validation. Attackers could leverage this flaw by crafting malicious CORBA requests that bypass normal access controls, potentially gaining unauthorized access to data that should remain protected.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2446 extends significantly across enterprise environments that utilize Java-based applications with CORBA functionality. Organizations running affected Java versions may experience unauthorized data access, potential information disclosure, and compromise of system confidentiality. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous for network-facing applications. This vulnerability affects systems where CORBA is actively used for inter-application communication, which includes many legacy enterprise systems, financial applications, and government platforms that have not yet migrated away from older Java versions. The lack of specific details in Oracle's June 2013 CPU documentation suggests that the vulnerability may have broader implications than initially described, potentially affecting multiple aspects of CORBA stream handling beyond just output stream access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2446 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Java installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for the CORBA access control issues. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to Java applications that utilize CORBA functionality, particularly those running on affected versions. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual CORBA traffic patterns or attempts to access restricted streams. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory checks to identify all systems running affected Java versions and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it affects publicly accessible Java runtime environments. Additionally, defensive measures should include disabling unnecessary CORBA functionality where possible and implementing strict network access controls to prevent unauthorized access to systems that may be vulnerable to this specific CORBA output stream manipulation attack. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted Java applications that might leverage vulnerable CORBA components.