Security Advisories and Notifications

Subject: Security Advisory (BEA07-173.00)

From: Oracle Corporation

Minor Subject: An Application started through Java Web Start may be able to elevate its privileges

Product(s) Affected: Java Web Start, early releases of BEA JRockit

Threat level: Medium

A malicious application started with Java Web Start may be able to elevate its privileges

Severity: Medium

An non-trusted application may be able to grant itself privileges to read and write local files accessible to the user using Java Web Start

A problem was identified that could potentially cause a security vulnerability in certain versions of JRockit. Upgrades are available to correct this problem (see Section II). Oracle treats potential security problems with a high degree of urgency and endeavors to take appropriate steps to help ensure the security of our customers' systems. As a result, Oracle strongly suggests the following actions:

  1. I. Read the following advisory.
  2. II. Apply the suggested action.
  3. III. If you know of any additional users interested in future security advisories, please forward them the registration instructions included in this advisory.

I. Advisory

Java Web Start enables standalone Java applications to be launched from a browser. Sun Microsystems reported vulnerability in Java Web Start that allows a non-trusted application to elevate its privileges. For example, the non-trusted application could read and write local files accessible to the user running the Java Web Start Application.

Early releases of BEA JRockit (prior to R26.0) may be affected by this vulnerability and patches are available to correct this problem. The latest releases of BEA JRockit do not ship with Java Web Start and are not affected by this vulnerability.

Impact and CVSS Ratings:

The issues described above are rated equally:

  1. CVSS Severity Score: 5.6 (Medium)
  2. Attack Range (AV): Remote (victim voluntarily launches non-trusted remote application)
  3. Attack Complexity (AC): High
  4. Authentication Level (Au): Not Required
  5. Impact Type: Unauthorized access. Partial confidentiality, integrity and availability violation
  6. Vulnerability Type: Elevation of Privilege
  7. CVSS Base Score Vector: (AV:R/AC:H/Au:NR/C:P/I:P/A:P/B:N)

  1. Online Calculator: http://nvd.nist.gov/cvss.cfm?calculator

The following versions of BEA JRockit are affected by this vulnerability

  • Releases prior to BEA JRockit R26.0.0 1.4.2_07 and BEA JRockit R26.0.0 1.5.0_04

This vulnerability does not affect JRockit 7.0 SP6 RP1 JDK 1.3.1_20.

Applications using Java Web Start functionality (shipped with BEA JRockit releases prior to R26.0) from

  • Java Web Start in JDK(™) and JRE 5.0 Update 10 and earlier
  • Java Web Start in SDK and JRE 1.4.2_13 and earlier
  • Java Web Start 1.0.1_02 and earlier

JRockit version R26.0.0 (or later) is not affected by this vulnerability. This release do not ship with Java Web Start since it is primarily a server oriented JVM.

II. SUGGESTED ACTION

Oracle strongly recommends the following course of actions.

If you are using a JRockit release prior to R26.0, but are not actively using Java Web Start functionality, please upgrade to R26.1 or the latest BEA JRockit release.

If you are using a JRockit release prior to R26.0, but are actively using Java Web Start functionality, please contact BEA Technical Support at support@bea.com for the appropriate patch.

You can verify your version of BEA JRockit by running java -version".

SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS

Oracle strongly suggests that customers apply the remedies recommended in all our security advisories. Oracle also urges customers to apply every Service/Maintenance Pack as they are released. Service/Maintenance Packs include a roll-up of all bug fixes for each version of the product, as well as each of the prior Service/Maintenance Packs. Service/Maintenance Packs.

As a policy, if there are any security-related issues with any Oracle product, Oracle will distribute an advisory and instructions with the appropriate course of action. Because the security of your site, data, and code is our highest priority, we are committed to communicating all security-related issues clearly and openly.

Additional users who wish to register for product advisory distribution should follow the registration directions at: http://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/.

Security issues can be reported to Oracle by following the directions at: http://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/.

Thank you,

Oracle Corporation