CVE-2013-5824 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and earlier allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors related to Deployment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5824 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded platforms affecting multiple versions including Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and earlier. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability within the deployment component of the Java Runtime Environment, making it particularly concerning due to its potential for widespread impact across various deployment scenarios. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical details of the flaw were not fully disclosed in the initial vulnerability report, which is common for zero-day vulnerabilities that may be actively exploited in the wild. The deployment component of Java SE is responsible for managing the execution and security policies of Java applications, making this area particularly sensitive to compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from weaknesses within the Java Deployment Toolkit and related security mechanisms that handle the execution of Java applets and applications. These components are designed to facilitate the downloading, installation, and execution of Java content from web sources while maintaining security boundaries. However, the flaw allows attackers to exploit mechanisms that should normally prevent unauthorized access or manipulation of Java runtime environments. The vulnerability's impact spans all three fundamental security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability, indicating that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise. The deployment-related nature suggests that the vulnerability likely involves improper handling of security policies, certificate validation, or access control mechanisms that govern how Java applications are executed and managed.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5824 extends far beyond typical software vulnerabilities due to the widespread deployment of Java across enterprise environments, web applications, and desktop systems. Organizations running affected Java versions face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and service disruption since Java applets and applications are commonly used in business-critical applications, web portals, and internal systems. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as security teams cannot easily determine specific attack vectors or develop targeted defensive measures. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely through web browsers or other Java-enabled applications, making it accessible to attackers without requiring physical access to target systems. The potential for privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers seeking to establish persistent access to compromised systems, with implications for both individual users and enterprise environments that rely heavily on Java-based applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5824 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Java installations, as Oracle released security updates specifically addressing this vulnerability in their regular security updates. Organizations should implement comprehensive network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and consider disabling Java plugin functionality in web browsers until patches are deployed. The vulnerability's classification as a deployment-related issue suggests that security policies should be reviewed and strengthened around Java application execution, including implementing strict certificate validation and access control measures. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability likely maps to CWE-250, which deals with execution of code with elevated privileges, or CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic issues in deployment components. Organizations should also consider implementing the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies, particularly focusing on preventing code execution through browser plugins and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched environments to ensure that legitimate Java applications continue to function properly while addressing the underlying security flaw.