Re: Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability - Java 1.7.07 just released

["Schoenefeld, Keith P." <Keith_Schoenefeld () BAYLOR EDU>]

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 EDUCAUSE 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-2012-4681-1835715.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-1637595.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.html
    http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/08/attackers-pounce-on-zero-day-java-exploit/
    http://www.deependresearch.org/2012/08/java-7-0-day-vulnerability-information.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 EDUCAUSE 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