#102003: Security Vulnerabilities in the Java Runtime Environment May Allow an Untrusted Applet to Elevate Its Privileges

Sun(sm) Alert Notification

Sun Alert ID: 102003
Synopsis: Security Vulnerabilities in the Java Runtime Environment May Allow an Untrusted Applet to Elevate Its Privileges
Category: Security
Product: Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition
BugIDs: 6263857, 6277266, 6277659
Avoidance: Upgrade
State: Resolved
Date Released: 28-Nov-2005
Date Closed: 28-Nov-2005
Date Modified:

1. Impact

Three (3) security vulnerabilities with the use of "reflection" APIs in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) may (independently) allow an untrusted applet to elevate its privileges. For example, an untrusted applet may grant itself permissions to read and write local files or execute local applications that are accessible to the user running the untrusted applet.

Sun acknowledges, with thanks, Adam Gowdiak, for bringing these issues to our attention.

2. Contributing Factors

The first issue can occur in the following releases (for Windows, Solaris and Linux):

SDK and JRE 1.3.1_15 and earlier
SDK and JRE 1.4.2_08 and earlier
JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 3 and earlier

The second and third issues can occur in the following releases (for Windows, Solaris and Linux):

SDK and JRE 1.4.2_08 and earlier
JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 3 and earlier

Note: SDK and JRE 1.3.1_xx and earlier are not affected for the second and third issues.

To determine the default version of the JRE on a system:

For Solaris and Linux:

    % java -fullversion
    java full version "1.5.0_02-b09"

For Windows:

Click "Start" on the desktop menu

Select "Run" from the menu panel

Type "cmd" and click "OK"

At the prompt, type "java -fullversion"

Note: The above commands only determine the default version. Other versions may also be installed on the system.

3. Symptoms

There are no reliable symptoms that would indicate the described issues have been exploited.

Solution Summary

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4. Relief/Workaround

There is no workaround for this issue. Please see the Resolution section below.

5. Resolution

The first issue is addressed in the following releases:

SDK and JRE 1.3.1_16 and later
SDK and JRE 1.4.2_09 and later
JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 4 and later

The second and third issues are addressed in the following releases:

SDK and JRE 1.4.2_09 and later
JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 4 and later

J2SE 1.4.2 is available for download at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

J2SE 5.0 is available for download at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp

and at http://java.com

Note: It is recommended that affected versions be removed from your system. For more information, please see the installation notes on the respective java.sun.com download pages.

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