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CVE-2012-4681: Oracle Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

• Severity: critical (CVSS 9.8 v3.1)
• Exploited in the wild: yes — in CISA KEV since 2022-03-03
• EPSS: 98.5% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
• Public exploit or detection template: yes
• Published: 2012-08-28 · updated 2026-08-06
• Weakness: CWE-284

Description

Multiple vulnerabilities in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) component in Oracle Java SE 7 Update 6 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted applet that bypasses SecurityManager restrictions by (1) using com.sun.beans.finder.ClassFinder.findClass and leveraging an exception with the forName method to access restricted classes from arbitrary packages such as sun.awt.SunToolkit, then (2) using "reflection with a trusted immediate caller" to leverage the getField method to access and modify private fields, as exploited in the wild in August 2012 using Gondzz.class and Gondvv.class.

Affected products

• Oracle Java SE: 1.6.0, 1.6.0-update1, 1.6.0-update10, 1.6.0-update11, 1.6.0-update12, 1.6.0-update13 (+35)
• Oracle Java SE: 1.6.0, 1.6.0-update1, 1.6.0-update10, 1.6.0-update11, 1.6.0-update12, 1.6.0-update13 (+34)
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Desktop: 6.0
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Eus: 6.3
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Server: 6.0
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Workstation: 6.0

References

• http://blog.fireeye.com/research/2012/08/zero-day-season-is-not-over-yet.html
• http://immunityproducts.blogspot.com/2012/08/java-0day-analysis-cve-2012-4681.html
• http://labs.alienvault.com/labs/index.php/2012/new-java-0day-exploited-in-the-wild/
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-09/msg00032.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-10/msg00016.html
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=135109152819176&w=2
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1225.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/51044
• http://www.deependresearch.org/2012/08/java-7-vulnerability-analysis.html
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alert-cve-2012-4681-1835715.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/55213
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-240A.html

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