CVE-2024-20955 in GraalVM for JDK
Summary
by MITRE • 01/17/2024
Vulnerability in the Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition product of Oracle Java SE (component: Compiler). Supported versions that are affected are Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.9, 21.0.1; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 20.3.12, 21.3.8 and 22.3.4. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition 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 • 06/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20955 resides within Oracle GraalVM for JDK and Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition products, specifically within the compiler component. This issue affects multiple version streams including Oracle GraalVM for JDK 17.0.9 and 21.0.1, alongside Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition versions 20.3.12, 21.3.8, and 22.3.4. The vulnerability classification as a difficult-to-exploit issue indicates that while the attack vector is not trivial, it remains a legitimate security concern for organizations deploying these runtime environments. The CVSS score of 3.7 reflects a low to medium severity classification with particular emphasis on confidentiality impacts.
The technical flaw manifests in the compiler component of GraalVM, which is responsible for translating high-level Java bytecode into optimized machine code. When an attacker can access the system through multiple network protocols without authentication, they can potentially exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized read access to sensitive data within the affected Oracle GraalVM implementations. This represents a significant concern for organizations that rely on GraalVM for running critical applications, as the compromised data access could expose sensitive information processed by these virtual machines. The vulnerability's accessibility via network protocols suggests that attackers may leverage various attack vectors including TCP/IP connections, HTTP/HTTPS services, or other communication channels that the GraalVM environment may utilize.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it affects the fundamental security posture of systems running affected GraalVM versions. Organizations using these environments for enterprise applications, microservices, or containerized deployments may face unauthorized data access that could lead to intellectual property theft, customer data breaches, or other confidentiality violations. The vulnerability's classification as unauthenticated indicates that no credentials or privileges are required to attempt exploitation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network access is not properly restricted. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and potentially CWE-311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) depending on the specific data being accessed. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that the vulnerability affects both the standard JDK and Enterprise Edition implementations, suggesting a widespread impact across Oracle's GraalVM product line.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-20955 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as Oracle typically provides security updates for these vulnerabilities through their regular release cycles. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of GraalVM environments to untrusted networks, utilizing firewalls and access control lists to restrict communication protocols. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's CVSS vector indicates that no user interaction is required, making it particularly important for administrators to ensure that all systems are updated promptly. Additionally, implementing proper network access controls and restricting external access to GraalVM instances can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify other potential attack vectors that may interact with this vulnerability, following ATT&CK framework patterns for identifying and mitigating compiler-based attack surfaces. The low complexity of exploitation combined with the potential for unauthorized data access makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations managing sensitive data within GraalVM environments.