Sun Java Web Start GetVMArgsOption function buffer overflow

sun-javawebstart-getvmargsoption-bo (43664) The risk level is classified as HighHigh Risk

Description:

Sun Java Web Start is vulnerable to a buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking by the GetVMArgsOption function. By persuading a victim to download an untrusted Java Web Start application containing an overly long java-vm-args value, a remote attacker could overflow a buffer and execute arbitrary code on the system with privileges of the victim to read and write local files, execute local applications, or cause the affected application to crash.

Platforms Affected:

  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.1
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.10
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.2
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.3
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.4
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.5
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.6
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.7
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.8
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.4.9
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.5
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.5.1
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.5.2
  • Apple, Mac OS X 10.5.3
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.1
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.10
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.2
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.3
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.4
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.5
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.6
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.7
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.8
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.4.9
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.5
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.5.1
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.5.2
  • Apple, Mac OS X Server 10.5.3
  • Novell, Linux Desktop 9
  • Novell, Linux POS 9
  • Novell, Open Enterprise Server
  • Novell, OpenSUSE 10.2
  • Novell, OpenSUSE 10.3
  • Novell, OpenSUSE 11.0
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 SP1
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 SP2
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1
  • RedHat, Network Satellite Server 5.1
  • RedHat, RHEL Desktop Supplementary 5 Client
  • RedHat, RHEL Extras 4
  • RedHat, RHEL Supplementary 5 Server
  • Sun, JDK 1.5.0 Update15
  • Sun, JDK 1.6.0 Update6
  • Sun, JRE 1.4.2 Update17
  • Sun, JRE 1.5.0 Update15
  • Sun, JRE 1.6.0 Update6
  • Sun, SDK 1.4.2_17
  • SuSE, SuSE SLES 9
  • VMware, ACE 1.0
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.1
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.2
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.3
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.4
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.5
  • VMware, ACE 1.0.6
  • VMware, ACE 2.0
  • VMware, ACE 2.0.1
  • VMware, ACE 2.0.2
  • VMware, ACE 2.0.3
  • VMware, ACE 2.0.4
  • VMware, ESX Server 3.0.1
  • VMware, ESX Server 3.0.2
  • VMware, ESX Server 3.0.3
  • VMware, ESX Server 3.5
  • VMware, ESXi Server 3.5
  • VMware, Player 1.0
  • VMware, Player 1.0.1
  • VMware, Player 1.0.2
  • VMware, Player 1.0.3
  • VMware, Player 1.0.4
  • VMware, Player 1.0.5
  • VMware, Player 1.0.6
  • VMware, Player 1.0.7
  • VMware, Player 2.0
  • VMware, Player 2.0.1
  • VMware, Player 2.0.2
  • VMware, Player 2.0.3
  • VMware, Player 2.0.4
  • VMware, Server 1.0
  • VMware, Server 1.0.1
  • VMware, Server 1.0.2
  • VMware, Server 1.0.3
  • VMware, Server 1.0.4
  • VMware, Server 1.0.5
  • VMware, Server 1.0.6
  • VMware, VirtualCenter 2.5
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.0
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.1
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.2
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.3
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.4
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.5
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.6
  • VMware, Workstation 5.5.7
  • VMware, Workstation 6.0
  • VMware, Workstation 6.0.1
  • VMware, Workstation 6.0.2
  • VMware, Workstation 6.0.3
  • VMware, Workstation 6.0.4

Remedy:

Refer to Sun Alert ID: 238905 for patch, upgrade or suggested workaround information. See References.

For other distributions:
Apply the appropriate update for your system. See References.

Consequences:

Gain Access

References:

  • Apple Web site, About the security content of Java for Mac OS X 10.4, Release 7 at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3178.
  • Apple Web site, About the security content of Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 2 at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3179.
  • Sun Alert ID: 238905, Multiple Security Vulnerabilities in Java Web Start may allow Privileges to be Elevated at http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-66-238905-1.
  • VMSA-2008-0016, VMware Hosted products, VirtualCenter Update 3 and patches for ESX and ESXi resolve multiple security issues at http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2008-0016.html.
  • ZDI-08-043, Sun Java Web Start vm args Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability at http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-08-043/.
  • ASA-2008-303: java-1.5.0-sun security update (RHSA-2008-0595)
  • ASA-2008-310: Multiple Security Vulnerabilities in Java Web Start may allow Privileges to be Elevated (Sun 238905)
  • ASA-2008-330: java-1.5.0-ibm security update (RHSA-2008-0790)
  • BID-30148: Sun Java Web Start Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • CVE-2008-3111: Multiple buffer overflows in Sun Java Web Start in JDK and JRE 6 before Update 4, JDK and JRE 5.0 before Update 16, and SDK and JRE 1.4.x before 1.4.2_18 allow context-dependent attackers to gain privileges via an untrusted application, as demonstrated by (a) an application that grants itself privileges to (1) read local files, (2) write to local files, or (3) execute local programs; and as demonstrated by (b) a long value associated with a java-vm-args attribute in a j2se tag in a JNLP file, which triggers a stack-based buffer overflow in the GetVMArgsOption function; aka CR 6557220.
  • RHSA-2008-0595: Critical: java-1.5.0-sun security update
  • RHSA-2008-0636: Low: Red Hat Network Satellite Server Sun Java Runtime security update
  • RHSA-2008-0638: Low: Red Hat Network Satellite Server IBM Java Runtime security update
  • RHSA-2008-0790: Critical: java-1.5.0-ibm security update
  • SA31010: Sun Java JDK / JRE Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SA32018: Mac OS X Java Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SA32179: VMware VirtualCenter Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SA32180: VMware ESX Server Sun Java JDK / JRE Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SECTRACK ID: 1020452: Java Web Start Bugs Let Remote Users Gain Privileges on the Target System
  • SUSE-SA:2008:042: Sun Java security update
  • SUSE-SA:2008:045: IBM Java Security update
  • VUPEN/ADV-2008-2056: Sun Java JDK and JRE Code Execution and Security Bypass Issues
  • VUPEN/ADV-2008-2740: VMware Privilege Escalation and Multiple Code Execution Vulnerabilities

Reported:

Jul 08, 2008

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