CVE-2015-4749 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 6u95, 7u80, and 8u45; JRockit R28.3.6; and Java SE Embedded 7u75 and 8u33 allows remote attackers to affect availability via vectors related to JNDI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
This vulnerability resides within Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded implementations, specifically affecting versions 6u95, 7u80, 8u45, JRockit R28.3.6, and Java SE Embedded versions 7u75 and 8u33. The issue manifests through unspecified vectors related to Java Naming and Directory Interface JNDI functionality, which serves as a critical component for directory service lookups in enterprise applications. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to potentially disrupt system availability, representing a significant concern for organizations relying on Java-based infrastructure. The JNDI subsystem is fundamental to Java applications that need to access directory services, making this a particularly dangerous flaw in environments where directory lookups are common. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vector suggests that multiple attack pathways may exist, potentially involving different aspects of the JNDI implementation including LDAP, DNS, or other naming service protocols.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate validation and handling of input within the JNDI subsystem, which could allow malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that trigger unexpected behavior in the Java runtime environment. This typically involves exploiting weaknesses in how the system processes naming and directory service requests, potentially leading to denial of service conditions or system instability. The vulnerability's classification under CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) would likely fall within categories related to input validation, resource management, or improper handling of external data. Attackers could leverage this weakness to cause service disruption by triggering resource exhaustion, infinite loops, or other conditions that prevent legitimate operations from completing successfully. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require local system access, making it particularly dangerous for publicly exposed Java applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the overall reliability and availability of systems running affected Java versions. Organizations utilizing Java-based applications for critical business functions face potential downtime and loss of service availability, which could result in significant financial and operational consequences. The vulnerability affects both standard Java SE implementations and the embedded versions, indicating a broad attack surface that spans from desktop applications to embedded systems. This widespread impact is particularly concerning given that many enterprise applications rely on Java for core functionality, making the potential for cascading failures across systems high. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Java versions suggests that organizations may need to implement comprehensive patching strategies across their entire Java ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Java versions, as Oracle would have released security updates addressing the specific JNDI handling issues. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Java applications to untrusted networks, and consider disabling unnecessary JNDI functionality in applications that do not require directory service integration. The implementation of proper input validation and sanitization measures within Java applications can provide additional defense in depth. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in directory service requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their Java application configurations to ensure that JNDI lookups are properly restricted and that applications do not perform unnecessary directory service operations. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK framework would likely involve techniques related to denial of service and resource exhaustion, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls across multiple defensive layers.