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

http://security.gentoo.org/

Severity:	normal
Title:	Sun JDK/JRE: Applet privilege escalation
Date:	02/15/2006
Bugs:	#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	Vulnerable	Unaffected	Architecture(s)
dev-java/sun-jdk	< 1.4.2.10	>= 1.4.2.10	All supported architectures
dev-java/sun-jre-bin	< 1.4.2.10	>= 1.4.2.10	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:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-java/sun-jdk-1.4.2.10"

All Sun JRE users should upgrade to the latest version:


    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-java/sun-jre-bin-1.4.2.10"

References

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200602-07.xml

Concerns?

Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org.