CVE-2013-2455 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 unknown vectors related to Libraries, a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-2443 and CVE-2013-2452. 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 incorrect access checks by the (1) getEnclosingClass, (2) getEnclosingMethod, and (3) getEnclosingConstructor methods.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2455 represents a critical security flaw within the Java Runtime Environment that affects multiple versions of Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations. This vulnerability resides within the Libraries component of the JRE and operates as a remote attack vector that can compromise the confidentiality of systems running affected Java versions. The issue was initially documented in the June 2013 Critical Patch Update from Oracle, though the company did not provide specific details regarding the exact nature of the vulnerability beyond its classification as an unspecified flaw related to library components. Security researchers noted that this vulnerability differs from other related issues such as CVE-2013-2443 and CVE-2013-2452, indicating it represents a distinct security weakness within the Java platform architecture.
The technical foundation of this vulnerability appears to be rooted in improper access controls within the Java reflection API, specifically involving three key methods that are part of the class introspection capabilities of the Java runtime. These methods include getEnclosingClass, getEnclosingMethod, and getEnclosingConstructor which are designed to provide information about the enclosing class, method, or constructor context of nested classes. The flaw manifests when these methods fail to properly validate access permissions, potentially allowing malicious code to bypass security boundaries and access otherwise restricted class information. This issue falls under the broader category of access control vulnerabilities and can be mapped to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The vulnerability's classification as a library-related issue suggests that the problem originates in the core Java class libraries rather than in the JVM execution engine or compiler components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations deploying affected Java versions in production environments. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform unauthorized information disclosure attacks that may expose sensitive class metadata, potentially revealing internal application structures and architectural details that could aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where Java applications are exposed to external networks. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposure of enclosing class information could potentially lead to more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation or code injection scenarios. This vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) domains, as it provides attackers with information that can be used to craft more effective attacks against Java applications.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to patched versions of Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations, particularly focusing on versions that have addressed the access control issues in the reflection API methods. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Java applications to untrusted networks and consider disabling unnecessary Java applets and web components that may be vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability's nature suggests that comprehensive monitoring should focus on reflection API usage patterns and any unusual access attempts to class metadata. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Java versions and implement proper patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of security updates. The remediation process should include not only updating the JRE but also reviewing application code that relies on the affected reflection methods to ensure that proper security measures are in place to prevent exploitation attempts.