CVE-2013-5804 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, and JRockit R27.7.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to Javadoc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5804 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle Java SE and JRockit runtime environments spanning multiple versions. This unspecified flaw exists within the Javadoc documentation processing functionality and affects Java SE versions 7u40 and earlier, 6u60 and earlier, 5.0u51 and earlier, along with JRockit versions R28.2.8 and earlier, and R27.7.6 and earlier. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that Oracle did not provide detailed technical information about the exact nature of the flaw during the initial disclosure, leaving security researchers and practitioners to analyze the broader implications of the issue.
The technical nature of this vulnerability relates to the processing of Javadoc documentation within the Java runtime environment, suggesting that the flaw may occur during the parsing or generation of documentation files. This type of vulnerability typically arises when input validation is insufficient or when the system fails to properly sanitize data during processing. The fact that it affects multiple Java versions and JRockit implementations indicates a fundamental issue within the documentation generation subsystem that has persisted across different runtime environments. Such vulnerabilities often stem from improper handling of user-supplied data or malformed input during documentation processing operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5804 extends beyond simple confidentiality and integrity concerns to potentially enable remote code execution or privilege escalation attacks. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability through carefully crafted Javadoc content that triggers the flawed processing logic, potentially allowing them to manipulate system resources or access sensitive information. The remote attack vector means that adversaries do not require local system access to exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where Java applications are exposed to external traffic. This vulnerability could be leveraged to compromise servers running Java applications or to target end-user systems through web applications that generate documentation.
Security professionals should treat this vulnerability with high priority given its potential for remote exploitation and its presence in widely deployed Java runtime versions. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate patching of all affected Java installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Java applications to untrusted networks and consider disabling Javadoc generation functionality where it is not essential. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-170, which covers improper handling of input that could lead to security issues, and may relate to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and remote code execution through application vulnerabilities.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of thorough input validation and proper security testing of documentation generation features within runtime environments. The lack of specific technical details in Oracle's initial disclosure makes this vulnerability particularly challenging to assess and remediate, as organizations must rely on general security practices rather than specific exploit information. This case demonstrates how seemingly benign functionality like documentation generation can become a critical security concern when not properly secured against malicious input. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for unusual Javadoc processing activities and maintain current threat intelligence to identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.