CVE-2002-0979
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 · uneditedThe Java logging feature for the Java Virtual Machine in Internet Explorer writes output from functions such as System.out.println to a known pathname, which can be used to execute arbitrary code.
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 · moderate confidenceThe Java Virtual Machine's logging feature in Internet Explorer writes output from functions like System.out.println to a predictable file path. Attackers can manipulate this behavior to overwrite files with malicious content and achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected system.
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 dataall versionsCVSS 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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Check for Microsoft Virtual Machine installationCheck for the presence of Microsoft JVM files. Look in the Windows system directory (typically C:\Windows\System32) for files named msjava.dll, or check the Windows Registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM for the existence of the Microsoft VM installation keys.Affected if The Microsoft Virtual Machine is installed on the system.
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Verify Java plugin is enabled in Internet ExplorerOpen Internet Explorer, navigate to Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level. Scroll to the 'Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting' section. Also check the 'Java permissions' setting under the same security zone settings.Affected if Java scripting or the Java plugin is enabled in any Internet Explorer security zone.
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Confirm the system runs affected Microsoft VM codeIdentify the specific Microsoft VM DLL version. Check the file properties of msjava.dll in the System32 folder, or query the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM\Version to determine the exact version number.Affected if The installed Microsoft VM version is any release prior to Microsoft's patched versions that eliminated the predictable file path behavior.
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Test for the predictable file write behaviorCreate a minimal Java applet that calls System.out.println and attempt to execute it through Internet Explorer. Monitor file system access to identify if output is written to a predictable location under the user profile or temp directory.Affected if Java applet execution in Internet Explorer results in file creation at predictable paths that could be manipulated by attackers.
A system is affected if it has the Microsoft Virtual Machine installed and Java plugin is enabled in Internet Explorer, allowing the predictable file write vulnerability to be exploited.
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 dataDisable Java plugin in Internet Explorer, or upgrade to patched Java Virtual Machine versions that no longer write to predictable paths. Consider migrating away from Internet Explorer given its end-of-life status.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2002-0979 — 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-2002-0979 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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- 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
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