CVE-2002-0076
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedJava Runtime Environment (JRE) Bytecode Verifier allows remote attackers to escape the Java sandbox and execute commands via an applet containing an illegal cast operation, as seen in (1) Microsoft VM build 3802 and earlier as used in Internet Explorer 4.x and 5.x, (2) Netscape 6.2.1 and earlier, and possibly other implementations that use vulnerable versions of SDK or JDK, aka a variant of the "Virtual Machine Verifier" vulnerability.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe JRE Bytecode Verifier contains a flaw that allows malicious applets to escape the Java sandbox through illegal cast operations, enabling arbitrary command execution on the target system. This affects Microsoft VM build 3802 and earlier (used in IE 4.x/5.x) and Netscape 6.2.1 and earlier.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 1.1.8= 1.2.2= 1.3= 3802= 1.1.8= 1.1.8= 1.2.2= 1.3.0= 1.3.1= 1.2.2_10= 1.2.2_010= 1.3.1_01= 1.3.1_01a= 1.3_05CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Java versionRun 'java -version' from command line to see the JRE/JDK version. For Windows, check the Java Control Panel or registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment. For Sun Java, check the version string in the bin/java.exe properties.Affected if Version matches 1.1.8, 1.2.2, 1.3.0, 1.3.1, or specific update versions like 1.2.2_10, 1.2.2_010, 1.3.1_01, 1.3.1_01a, or 1.3_05 from the affected list
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Check Microsoft VM build numberOn Windows systems with Microsoft VM (found in IE 4.x/5.x), run 'java -version' or check the Microsoft Java VM in Control Panel. The build number appears in the version output.Affected if Microsoft VM build 3802 or earlier is detected
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Verify HP Java versionsCheck HP-UX or HP system for HP Java installations using 'java -version' or examine the version file in the Java installation directory.Affected if HP Java JRE/JDK versions 1.1.8, 1.2.2, or 1.3 are found
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Determine if Java applets can executeCheck browser settings: In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level > Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting. In Netscape 6.x, check Preferences > Advanced > Enable Java. Also check if any browser has Java Plugin enabled.Affected if Java applets are enabled in Internet Explorer 4.x/5.x using Microsoft VM or Netscape 6.2.1 or earlier, and the Java version matches the affected list
The system is affected if it runs any of the listed Java versions (1.1.8, 1.2.2, 1.3.0, 1.3.1, or specific update variants) from Sun, HP, or Microsoft VM build 3802, AND has Java applet execution enabled in a browser.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate to a non-vulnerable JRE version or disable Java applets in affected browsers. For legacy systems still running these old configurations, consider isolating them from untrusted networks.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2002-0076 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-0076 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data