CVE-2013-5896 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 5.0u55, 6u65, and 7u45; Java SE Embedded 7u45; and OpenJDK 7 allows remote attackers to affect availability via vectors related to CORBA. NOTE: the previous information is from the January 2014 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that com.sun.corba.se and its sub-packages are not included on the restricted package list.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5896 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle Java SE and OpenJDK implementations that affects multiple versions including Java SE 5.0u55, 6u65, 7u45, Java SE Embedded 7u45, and OpenJDK 7. This issue falls under the category of availability impacts, meaning that remote attackers can potentially disrupt system operations and services through specific vectors related to CORBA functionality. The vulnerability was initially documented in the January 2014 Critical Patch Update (CPU) and demonstrates the complexity of Java security architecture where components within the Java Virtual Machine can be exploited to compromise system availability.
The technical flaw resides within the CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) implementation in Java, specifically within the com.sun.corba.se package and its sub-packages. CORBA is a middleware technology that enables communication between distributed objects across different platforms and programming languages. When attackers exploit this vulnerability, they can manipulate the CORBA subsystem to cause denial of service conditions that affect the availability of Java applications and services. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because CORBA is often used in enterprise environments where system uptime and reliability are critical. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified suggests that the exact technical mechanism of exploitation was not fully detailed in the initial reporting, though it clearly relates to improper handling of CORBA-related operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can potentially allow attackers to cause complete system unavailability or application crashes. In enterprise environments where Java applications depend heavily on CORBA for distributed computing, an attacker could exploit this weakness to bring down critical business applications, disrupt inter-application communication, and cause significant financial and operational damage. The vulnerability affects not just standard Java installations but also the embedded versions, indicating that it could impact a wide range of devices and systems including those in industrial control systems, embedded appliances, and mobile devices that utilize Java-based embedded platforms. The potential for remote exploitation means that attackers do not need physical access to the target systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) classification system, which would likely categorize this under weaknesses related to resource management or improper handling of distributed computing components. The ATT&CK (Adversarial Threat Capability and Knowledge) framework would classify this as a denial of service attack vector that could be used as part of a broader attack chain to compromise system availability. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, disabling unnecessary CORBA functionality, and implementing network segmentation to limit the attack surface. Additionally, monitoring for unusual CORBA-related network traffic and system behavior can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's relationship to the restricted package list mentioned in the description indicates that proper package management and Java security policies should be enforced to prevent unauthorized access to critical system components.