CVE-2013-5802 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, JRockit R28.2.8 and earlier, JRockit R27.7.6 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and earlier allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to JAXP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5802 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple Java runtime environments including Oracle Java SE, Java SE Embedded, and JRockit implementations. This unspecified vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 7u40, 6u60, 5.0u51, R28.2.8, and R27.7.6 respectively, creating a widespread exposure across enterprise and embedded systems that rely on Java-based applications. The vulnerability's classification under the broader category of Java XML processing issues indicates a fundamental weakness in how these implementations handle XML parsing operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies within the Java API for XML Processing JAXP component, which serves as the standard interface for processing XML documents in Java applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness through remote code execution or manipulation of XML data streams, potentially leveraging the vulnerability to perform unauthorized access to system resources. The JAXP implementation in these affected Java versions demonstrates insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms, allowing malicious XML content to trigger unexpected behavior within the Java runtime environment. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate the XML processing pipeline in ways that could compromise system integrity, confidentiality, and availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5802 extends beyond simple data corruption or access violations, as it represents a potential pathway for complete system compromise. Organizations running affected Java versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access, modification of critical system configurations, and potential denial of service conditions. The remote exploitability of this vulnerability means that attackers can target systems without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous for web applications and services that process external XML input. The vulnerability's presence in embedded Java implementations also poses risks to IoT devices, industrial control systems, and other networked embedded platforms that utilize Java-based processing capabilities.
Security professionals should immediately implement mitigations including deployment of updated Java runtime environments, network segmentation to limit exposure, and application-level input validation to prevent malicious XML content from reaching the JAXP processing layer. Organizations must also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Java versions and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-471, which addresses the weakness of "Modification of Assumptions" in XML processing, and maps to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion through exploitation of software vulnerabilities. Regular security monitoring and patch management processes should be enhanced to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining unaddressed in future Java releases, ensuring comprehensive protection against evolving attack vectors targeting XML processing components in enterprise environments.