Re: - Java 1.7.07 just released - vulnerability identified

[Chuck Braden <j-braden () TAMU EDU>]

http://isc.sans.edu/diary/Not+so+fast+Java+7+Update+7+critical+vulnerability
+discovered+in+less+than+24+hours/14017
Polish security firm Security Explorations has sent an advisory, with a
proof-of-concept exploit, to Oracle today (Friday 31 AUG) specific to a
vulnerability they discovered in the Java 7 security update released
Thursday.  This newly reported vulnerability can be exploited to escape the
Java sandbox and execute arbitrary code on the underlying system.
Standby for more on this one, no word yet from Oracle regarding their
remediation plans.

As Rapid7's Tod Beardsley has said: "As it happens, very few websites rely
on Java for dynamic content. Java isn't relied on nearly as much as
Javascript and Flash. Most people can disable their Java browser plugin and
not really notice the difference."


Jimmy C Braden
Information Security Officer
AgriLife Information Technology
979-862-7254
j-braden () tamu edu


-----Original Message-----
From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Gary Flynn
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 1:00 PM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability - Java
1.7.07 just released

We're starting to push the 1.7.7 patch today for 1.7
systems. We'd planned on starting to migrate most 1.6
users to 1.7 next week and will probably keep to that
schedule rather than push the 1.6.35 update unless
someone finds a way to quickly exploit 1.6.34.

Note that Oracle support for 1.6, including security
updates, ends in February. Its already been postponed
at least once.


Schoenefeld, Keith P. wrote:
> Quinn,
>
> I suspect you know this, but just in case anyone reads over the notes and
assumes this vulnerability is in 1.6 as well:
> I would recommend everyone read the release notes and security advisories
and evaluate the vulnerability's risk within your environment before burning
capital to get software deployed immediately.  It'd be hard to argue that
1.7u7 is anything other than a critical vulnerability for systems that may
run untrusted java applications or applets, and for those systems the patch
should be pushed through whatever fast-path deployment process is in place
at your institution.  The 1.6u35 patch requires more evaluation in my
opinion.
> -- KS
>
> Keith Schoenefeld
> Information Security Analyst
> Baylor University
> 254-710-6667
>
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Shamblin, Quinn
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 11:42 AM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability -
Java 1.7.07 just released
> They have a patch for 1.6 as well. (u35)
> Java 6 update 35 - http://java.com/en/download/manual_v6.jsp
>
> Quinn R Shamblin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
> Executive Director of Information Security, Boston University
> CISM, CISSP, GCFA, PMP  -  O 617-358-6310  M 617-999-7523
>
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU]<mailto:[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDU
CAUSE.EDU]> On Behalf Of Hanson, Mike
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 11:19 AM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU<mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability -
Java 1.7.07 just released
> Has anyone seen a compromised computer on their campus related to this
yet? I am trying to determine how quickly we need to move on this. We are a
Banner school and a BlackBoard school and so we are using the 1.6 java
version fork because of compatibility issues with 1.7
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Mike Hanson, CISSP
> Network Security Manager
> The College of St. Scholastica
> Duluth, MN 55811
>
> On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 3:40 PM, Chuck Braden
<j-braden () tamu edu<mailto:j-braden () tamu edu>> wrote:
> Oracle just released version 1.7.07 of Java.  In theory, it addresses the
zero day vulnerability
> http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp
> Download Java for your desktop computer now!
> Version 7 Update 7
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alert-cve-2012-4681-183571
5.html
> Oracle Security Alert for CVE-2012-4681
>
> Description
>
> This Security Alert addresses security issues CVE-2012-4681 (US-CERT Alert
TA12-240A) and two other vulnerabilities affecting Java running in web
browsers on desktops. These vulnerabilities are not applicable to Java
running on servers or standalone Java desktop applications. They also do not
affect Oracle server-based software.
> These vulnerabilities may be remotely exploitable without authentication,
i.e., they may be exploited over a network without the need for a username
and password. To be successfully exploited, an unsuspecting user running an
affected release in a browser will need to visit a malicious web page that
leverages this vulnerability. Successful exploits can impact the
availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the user's system.
> In addition, this Security Alert includes a security-in-depth fix in the
AWT subcomponent of the Java Runtime Environment.
> Due to the severity of these vulnerabilities, the public disclosure of
technical details and the reported exploitation of CVE-2012-4681 "in the
wild," Oracle strongly recommends that customers apply the updates provided
by this Security Alert as soon as possible.
> Supported Products Affected
>
> Security vulnerabilities addressed by this Security Alert affect the
products listed in the categories below.  Please click on the link in the
Patch Availability column or in the Patch Availability
Table<http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alert-cve-2012-4681-
1835715.html#PatchTable> to access the documentation for those patches.
> Jimmy C Braden
> Information Security Officer
> AgriLife Information Technology
> 979-862-7254<tel:979-862-7254>
> j-braden () tamu edu<mailto:j-braden () tamu edu>
>
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU<mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> ] On Behalf Of Chuck Braden
> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 3:19 PM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU<mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability -
drop back to 1.6.34 if possible.
>  From what I am reading, the most recent version of 1.6 is 34 and it was
released on August 14 - the same date as 1.7.06. So technically, the code
fixes applied to 1.6.34 would provide some sense of protection from all the
vulnerabilities identified prior to 8/14 but still not be exploitable to the
zero day code that 1.7 is vulnerable to.  So far, no resource I have
identified is promoting such a workaround for that reason, YMMV.   As I
understand it 1.7 was released to support Arm cores.
> DL Link for 1.6.34 -
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre6-downloads-16375
95.html
> See comments on -
> http://isc.sans.edu/diary/Quick+Bits+about+Today+s+Java+0-Day/13984
>
>
> This is what we know so far about the vulnerability: there is an exploit
in the wild, it works on the latest FireFox, and Chrome, and it targets Java
1.7 update 6, there is currently no patch available, the exploit has been
integrated into the metasploit framework.
> What this means: the potential hit rate for drive-by attacks is currently
elevated.  Since this is a java vulnerability, this may also affect more
than just Windows platforms (multi-platform attacks currently unconfirmed,
based on the multi-platform compatibility of java itself.)
> Update: Metasploit claims to work on Mac OS X via Safari.  So consider it
just a java issue and ignore the OS and the browser when considering if
you're exposed.
> The next patch cycle from Oracle isn't scheduled for another two months
(October.)
> What you can do: this places normal end-users in a pretty bad position,
relying mostly upon disabling, or restricting java and hoping that AV
catches the payload that gets installed.  None of these are really good
options.  There is a 3rd-party developed patch that is said to exist, but
it's not intended for end-users.  My current recommendations are to disable
java if you can (see Brian Kreb's handy guide here:
http://krebsonsecurity.com/how-to-unplug-java-from-the-browser/  ,) or use
something like no-script to help control where you accept and execute java
from.
> Update: Downgrading to 1.6 might be an option for you as well, make sure
you're using the latest update.  Credit or blame Steven depending on how
that works out for you. (JK Steven.)
> Suggested reading on the topic:
http://blog.fireeye.com/research/2012/08/zero-day-season-is-not-over-yet.htm
l
>
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/08/attackers-pounce-on-zero-day-java-exploit
/
>
http://www.deependresearch.org/2012/08/java-7-0-day-vulnerability-informatio
n.html
> Jimmy C Braden
> Information Security Officer
> AgriLife Information Technology
> 979-862-7254<tel:979-862-7254>
> j-braden () tamu edu<mailto:j-braden () tamu edu>
>
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU]<mailto:[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDU
CAUSE.EDU]> On Behalf Of Bateman, Darrell
> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 3:13 PM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU<mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
> Subject: [SECURITY] Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability
>
> Curious to know how you all plan to react to the Java 7 Security Manager
Bypass Zero-day Vulnerability.
> http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2012-4681
>
> --------------------------------------
> Darrell Bateman
> Assistant Vice President for IT and ISO
> Office of the Chief Information Officer
> Information Technology Division
> Texas Tech University


-- 
Gary Flynn
Security Engineer
James Madison University

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