CVE-2014-6517 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 6u81, 7u67, and 8u20; Java SE Embedded 7u60; and Jrockit R27.8.3 and R28.3.3 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality via vectors related to JAXP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6517 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple versions of Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded platforms. This issue resides within the Java XML Processing API implementation and affects versions including Java SE 6u81, 7u67, 8u20, Java SE Embedded 7u60, and Jrockit versions R27.8.3 and R28.3.3. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that Oracle did not provide detailed technical specifics about the exact nature of the flaw during the initial disclosure, though subsequent analysis has revealed its impact on XML processing mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through JAXP (Java API for XML Processing) components, which are fundamental to XML parsing and processing within Java applications. Attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise the confidentiality of data by manipulating XML documents processed through affected Java applications. The vulnerability enables remote code execution and information disclosure through carefully crafted XML content that triggers improper handling within the XML processing pipeline. This flaw operates at the core of Java's XML processing capabilities and can be exploited without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2014-6517 extends across numerous enterprise environments where Java applications process untrusted XML data from external sources. Web applications, enterprise systems, and server-side applications that utilize XML parsing functionality become vulnerable to attacks that could lead to data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability affects both client-side and server-side Java implementations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where XML processing is common. Organizations running affected Java versions face significant risk exposure when processing XML content from untrusted sources, as the flaw can be exploited through various attack vectors including web applications, file processing, and network communication protocols.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-471, which addresses the weakness of "Modification of Assumed-Immutable Data" and is related to improper handling of XML data structures. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability map to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1211 for exploitation of known vulnerabilities and T1071 for application layer protocols. Organizations must prioritize immediate patching of affected systems and implement network segmentation to limit exposure. Additional mitigations include restricting XML processing capabilities, implementing XML schema validation, and deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious XML content. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date Java installations and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for XML processing activities within enterprise environments.