CVE-2023-22051 in GraalVM Enterprise Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition, Oracle GraalVM for JDK product of Oracle Java SE (component: GraalVM Compiler). Supported versions that are affected are Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.6, 22.3.2; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.7 and 20.0.1. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition, Oracle GraalVM for JDK. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition, Oracle GraalVM for JDK accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 3.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22051 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition and GraalVM for JDK products, specifically within the GraalVM Compiler component. This flaw affects multiple version ranges including Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition 21.3.6 and 22.3.2, alongside Oracle GraalVM for JDK versions 17.0.7 and 20.0.1. The vulnerability classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while the attack vector requires some level of technical sophistication, the potential impact remains concerning given the nature of the affected system components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the GraalVM Compiler, which operates as a critical component in the Java runtime environment. The flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to gain unauthorized read access to specific data within the affected Oracle GraalVM implementations. The CVSS score of 3.7 reflects the confidentiality impact, indicating that while the vulnerability does not permit modification or denial of service, it does enable data disclosure that could expose sensitive information processed through these virtual machine implementations. The attack vector requires network access via multiple protocols, suggesting the vulnerability exists across various communication channels that GraalVM supports.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it affects enterprise environments that rely on GraalVM for high-performance Java application execution. Organizations utilizing these specific versions of GraalVM Enterprise Edition or GraalVM for JDK may face unauthorized data access that could include application configuration details, runtime memory contents, or other sensitive information processed through the affected compiler. The fact that this vulnerability affects both enterprise and standard JDK implementations indicates a broad attack surface that requires immediate attention from security teams managing Java-based infrastructure.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, particularly under the data exposure and credential access categories, as it enables unauthorized data reading without authentication requirements. The CWE classification for this vulnerability would likely fall under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) or similar access control weakness categories, given the unauthorized read access capability. Organizations should prioritize patching or upgrading to unaffected versions of GraalVM, as the vulnerability's network accessibility and lack of authentication requirements make it particularly dangerous in environments where network exposure is common. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual data access patterns can provide additional defense layers against potential exploitation of this vulnerability.