[ GLSA 200602-07 ] Sun JDK/JRE: Applet privilege escalation

[GLSA]

Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Title: Sun JDK/JRE: Applet privilege escalation (GLSA 200602-07)
Severity: normal
Exploitable: remote
Date: February 15, 2006
Bug(s): #122156
ID: 200602-07

Synopsis

Sun's Java Development Kit (JDK) and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) do not adequately constrain applets from privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.

Background

Sun's JDK and JRE provide interpreters for Java Applets in a sandboxed environment. These implementations provide the Java Web Start technology that can be used for easy client-side deployment of Java applications.

Affected Packages

Package: dev-java/sun-jdk
Vulnerable: < 1.4.2.10
Unaffected: >= 1.4.2.10
Architectures: All supported architectures

Package: dev-java/sun-jre-bin
Vulnerable: < 1.4.2.10
Unaffected: >= 1.4.2.10
Architectures: All supported architectures


Description

Applets executed using JRE or JDK can use "reflection" APIs functions to elevate its privileges beyond the sandbox restrictions. Adam Gowdiak discovered five vulnerabilities that use this method for privilege escalation. Two more vulnerabilities were discovered by the vendor. Peter Csepely discovered that Web Start Java applications also can an escalate their privileges.

Impact

A malicious Java applet can bypass Java sandbox restrictions and hence access local files, connect to arbitrary network locations and execute arbitrary code on the user's machine. Java Web Start applications are affected likewise.

Workaround

Select another Java implementation using java-config.

Resolution

All Sun JDK users should upgrade to the latest version: