CVE-2021-2163 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the Java SE, Java SE Embedded, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition product of Oracle Java SE (component: Libraries). Supported versions that are affected are Java SE: 7u291, 8u281, 11.0.10, 16; Java SE Embedded: 8u281; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 19.3.5, 20.3.1.2 and 21.0.0.2. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise Java SE, Java SE Embedded, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Java SE, Java SE Embedded, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition accessible data. Note: This vulnerability applies to Java deployments that load and run untrusted code (e.g., code that comes from the internet) and rely on the Java sandbox for security. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.3 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2025
This vulnerability resides within the Java SE ecosystem and specifically targets the libraries component of Oracle's Java platform including embedded versions and GraalVM Enterprise Edition. The flaw affects multiple version lines spanning Java SE 7 through 16, Java SE Embedded 8, and various GraalVM Enterprise Edition releases, indicating a widespread impact across the Java runtime environment. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit suggests that while it requires network access and human interaction, the attack vector remains accessible to threat actors who can leverage the Java sandbox mechanism. The CVSS score of 5.3 reflects the integrity impact severity, where attackers can potentially modify or delete critical data within the Java environment without authentication, though they cannot directly access or modify all data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of untrusted code execution within Java deployments that rely on sandbox security models. When Java applications load and execute code from untrusted sources such as internet downloads, the sandbox mechanism should provide isolation and security boundaries. However, this flaw allows attackers to bypass these protective measures through network-based attacks requiring only basic network connectivity. The human interaction requirement means that successful exploitation typically involves social engineering elements where users must perform specific actions to trigger the vulnerability, such as opening malicious files or visiting compromised web pages. This attack model aligns with common exploitation patterns documented in the attack framework where initial access points are established through user engagement rather than purely automated techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to encompass potential system compromise through unauthorized modification of critical Java environment components. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to modify or delete data within the Java runtime environment, potentially affecting applications that depend on Java for their operation. The affected platforms include not just standard Java SE deployments but also embedded systems and enterprise-grade GraalVM implementations, which suggests that the vulnerability could impact critical infrastructure where Java is used for embedded applications or high-performance computing environments. Organizations running these Java versions face potential data corruption or unauthorized modifications that could lead to system instability or data loss.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version updates to patched releases of Java SE, Java SE Embedded, and GraalVM Enterprise Edition, as this represents the most direct solution to address the vulnerability. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Java applications to untrusted networks, particularly where these applications handle sensitive data. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by configuring Java applications to run with minimal required permissions and by implementing proper code signing and validation mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all Java installations that may be affected and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to improper input validation and sandbox bypass techniques indicates that defensive measures should include input sanitization and runtime protection mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual Java process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.