TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative
 

Oracle Java Web Start JNLP Double Quote Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-12-037: February 22nd, 2012

CVSS Score

Affected Vendors

Affected Products

TippingPoint™ IPS Customer Protection

TippingPoint IPS customers are protected against this vulnerability by Digital Vaccine protection filter ID 12106. For further product information on the TippingPoint IPS:

Vulnerability Details


This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Oracle Java Webstart. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within javaws.exe . Java Web Start does not safely handle double quotes that are placed anywhere except the beginning of certain property names in JNLP files. As a result, double quotes can be used to inject arbitrary command-line arguments into a javaw.exe process. Leveraging this would allow a remote attacker to execute code under the context of the user.

Vendor Response

Oracle has issued an update to correct this vulnerability. More details can be found at:

Disclosure Timeline

    2011-10-28 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
    2012-02-22 - Coordinated public release of advisory

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by:
    Chris Ries