Java and JDK vulnerabilities, including injection attacks, sandbox escapes, and remote code execution, pose serious security risks—especially when driven by outdated libraries or unused code. High-profile incidents like Log4j show how devastating these exploits can be. While updating to the latest JDK helps, it’s not enough. Azul Intelligence Cloud enhances protection by analyzing runtime data to identify actual vulnerabilities in executed code, eliminating false positives. Its Code Inventory and Vulnerability Detection tools streamline remediation, reduce technical debt, and prioritize patching based on real-world risk—making it easier to secure Java applications and maintain a lean, efficient codebase.
Java Vulnerabilities
Even though Java is known for being secure, it has potential vulnerabilities in its user input fields, command mapping, and in potential injection attacks. These attacks typically happen due to outdated libraries and poorly written code found in large applications. In other words, Java vulnerabilities are weaknesses in your Java code or Java virtual machine (JVM) that attackers can exploit to compromise the security of your application.
Many assume that the solution to these Java security holes lies in using the latest version of Java, but that’s not the case. Most exploits require only a minimal effort or no user interaction at all. A single visit to a malicious web page can leave a user’s system vulnerable to attack. All it takes is a Java-enabled browser.
High-Profile Java Vulnerabilities
By exploring some of the historical and notable Java vulnerabilities, you can understand the challenges that organizations face with Java development:
- CVE-2012-0507 – Java AtomicReferenceArray type confusion
- This vulnerability in Java Run Time Environment (JRE) components of Oracle Java SE allowed remote attackers to execute arbitrary code through unknown resources.
- CVE-2013-0422 – Reflection-based remote code execution
- This exploit leveraged Java’s reflection API to bypass security restrictions and execute arbitrary code through malicious applets.
- CVE-2021-44228 – Apache Log4j RCE Vulnerability
- The most critical Java-related vulnerability in recent years, the Log4j vulnerability allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely by logging a crafted string, which affected countless enterprise applications.
- CVE-2012-4681 – MBeanInstatiator privilege escalation
- Attackers could use this flaw to instantiate arbitrary classes and ultimately gain code-execution privileges, which bypassed Java’s sandboxing.
Most Common Types of Java Vulnerabilities
Next, let’s look at the most common types of vulnerabilities that Java developers face. By understanding each type of Java vulnerability, developers are better equipped to identify the best solutions for their development ecosystem. Some top vulnerability types include SQL injections, XPath injections, and cross-site scripting.
- SQL injections: A SQL injection is where a hacker tricks your app into running malicious SQL code by injecting it into input fields, like login forms, search boxes, or URLs. Some famous reported SQL injection attacks include Sony Pictures (2011), British Airways (2018), and Heartland Payment Systems (2008).
- XPath injections: An XPath injection is a type of injection attack that’s like SQL injections, but it targets XML data sources instead of relational databases. The attack happens when an application builds an XPath query dynamically by using input from the user, without properly validating or sanitizing that input.
- Cross-site scripting: These scripting attacks arise through malicious scripts in user-input fields, such as search queries and comments. XSS includes reflected XSS, where the malicious script is reflected off the server in response to user input, and stored XSS, where the injected script is saved on the server and later executed after the user interacts with the affected website.
JDK Vulnerabilities
The Java development kit (JDK) is a software package used to develop Java applications. It includes a Java compiler, the Java Runtime Environment, and a Java virtual machine (JVM). Vulnerabilities in the JDK can affect both Java applications and the system that’s running them.
The following list includes some of the most common types of JDK vulnerabilities:
- Remote code execution (RCE): Attackers exploit vulnerabilities to run arbitrary code on a remote system, gaining unauthorized control over the affected computer or server.
- Sandbox bypass: Hackers use this technique to escape the security restrictions of a sandbox environment, which allows the program to gain unauthorized access to protected parts of the system.
- Denial of service (DoS): The attacker makes the system unresponsive by crashing the JVM or consuming excessive resources. This can be done by flooding the target with traffic or requests.
How Do You Address JDK and Java Vulnerabilities?
There are a few techniques you can use to address these different vulnerabilities. First, you can keep your JDK Updated. One of the most effective ways to mitigate known vulnerabilities is to keep the JDK updated, especially by installing the latest Critical Patch Updates (CPUs) if you have access to them. CPUs are only provided by Azul and Oracle. Otherwise, you’ll have to deploy the community-provided Patch Set Updates (PSUs) instead.
Second, you can limit your code’s permission. Use Java Security Manager or other mechanisms to limit what the application can access. Ensure that Java applications run with the principle of least privilege, which reduces the potential impact of a compromised component.
Third, use runtime vulnerability detection tools. Consider integrating modern tools like Azul Intelligence Cloud, which helps detect JDK and library vulnerabilities in production environments. Intelligence Cloud provides actionable intelligence from production Java runtime data to efficiently identify unused and dead code for removal, and it prioritizes vulnerable code for remediation. It monitors actual code usage, identifies known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), and helps prioritize patching efforts based on real-world risk.
Azul Intelligence Cloud and JDK + Java Vulnerabilities
What is Azul Intelligence Cloud (IC)? IC is a cloud-based analytics platform designed to enhance the security, efficiency, and productivity of Java applications in production environments. By leveraging runtime data from any Java virtual machine (JVM), IC provides actionable insights that help organizations optimize their Java workloads. Key features of IC include Code Inventory and Vulnerability Detection.
Azul Code Inventory catalogs what code runs in production across all of an enterprise’s Java workloads. It slashes the time and burden of maintaining and testing unused code, which significantly improves developer productivity and ultimately saves an organization money. Code-use analysis and unused code visibility helps DevOps teams understand what code is used in production, and it helps developers identify unused and dead code for removal. By removing unnecessary code, organizations can lower their code maintenance effort and increase their developers’ productivity, which ultimately contributes to mitigating their long-term technical debt.
Azul Vulnerability Detection is a powerful tool that continuously monitors Java applications in production, identifying known vulnerabilities based on actual code execution. By eliminating false positives and focusing on real-time and historical usage, developers enable efficient detection and handling of critical vulnerabilities.
To learn more about how IC enables organizations to address JDK and Java vulnerabilities, see Azul Intelligence Cloud.
