CVE-2015-5041 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE
The J9 JVM in IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition 6 before SR16 FP20, 6 R1 before SR8 FP20, 7 before SR9 FP30, and 7 R1 before SR3 FP30 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or inject data by invoking non-public interface methods.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5041 represents a significant security flaw within the J9 Java Virtual Machine implementation used in IBM's SDK for Java Technology Edition. This issue affects multiple versions of the Java runtime environment including various releases of Java 6 and Java 7, specifically targeting the J9 JVM component that handles the execution of Java applications. The vulnerability stems from the exposure of non-public interface methods that should remain internal to the JVM implementation but are accessible to external code, creating an attack surface that adversaries can exploit for malicious purposes.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper access control mechanisms within the J9 JVM, where certain internal methods that should be restricted to JVM-internal operations are callable from external applications. This design weakness allows attackers to invoke these non-public methods directly, bypassing normal security boundaries and access controls that typically protect sensitive JVM components. The vulnerability specifically enables two primary attack vectors: information disclosure and data injection capabilities that can be leveraged to extract sensitive system information or manipulate JVM operations. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control as classified under CWE-284, where improper privileges are granted to external entities for internal JVM components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to inject data into the JVM runtime environment, potentially leading to more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution or system compromise. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to internal JVM state information, memory contents, or configuration details that should remain protected. The vulnerability affects organizations running affected IBM Java SDK versions, particularly those utilizing Java applications that may be exposed to untrusted input or network-based attacks. The risk is compounded by the fact that these vulnerable versions were widely deployed in enterprise environments, making the potential attack surface substantial.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5041 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of the IBM SDK for Java Technology Edition, specifically targeting the releases that include the SR16 FP20, SR8 FP20, SR9 FP30, and SR3 FP30 fixes for their respective Java versions. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Java applications to untrusted networks. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to JVM internal components, and code review processes should be strengthened to prevent similar access control issues in custom Java applications. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers could potentially use the exposed interfaces to execute malicious code within the JVM context, and T1005 for data from local system, as it enables information gathering from internal JVM components. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application self-protection mechanisms and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar access control vulnerabilities in their Java-based applications.