Java Virtual MachineApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2002-1290

MEDIUM · 6.4 CVSS v2.0 Published 2002-11-29
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
73/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
The Microsoft Java implementation, as used in Internet Explorer, allows remote attackers to read and modify the contents of the Clipboard via an applet that accesses the (1) ClipBoardGetText and (2) ClipBoardSetText methods of the INativeServices class.

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 confidence

The Microsoft Java implementation in Internet Explorer contains a vulnerability where a malicious applet can access clipboard contents through the INativeServices class methods (ClipBoardGetText and ClipBoardSetText). This allows remote attackers to read or modify the clipboard without user consent.

MitigationDisable or remove the Microsoft Java VM from Internet Explorer, or use an alternative browser that does not support the vulnerable Java implementation. This is a legacy 2002 vulnerability affecting obsolete systems.

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
Java Virtual MachineApplication
Affected:= 1.1

CVSS 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
None

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify Microsoft Java VM installation
    Check for Microsoft Java Virtual Machine presence in system: Open Windows Registry editor and look for key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM, or check C:\Windows\System32\msjava.dll existence
    Affected if Microsoft Java VM is installed on the system
  2. Confirm Microsoft Java VM version
    Check the version of msjava.dll or query the Microsoft Java VM through Java version command: 'java -version' from Microsoft JVM, or view file properties of msjava.dll
    Affected if Version is exactly 1.1.x (specifically 1.1)
  3. Verify Internet Explorer Java plugin status
    In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level > Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting - check if Java permissions are enabled, or check IE plugin list for Microsoft JVM
    Affected if Internet Explorer has Microsoft Java VM enabled as an ActiveX/plugin option
  4. Confirm INativeServices class accessibility
    The vulnerability requires that Java applets can execute and access the native interface. Check if Microsoft VM is set to allow applets to run in IE without strict security prompts, or examine msjava.dll exports for INativeServices interface
    Affected if Microsoft Java VM 1.1 is active in IE and allows unsigned applet execution with native method access

A system is affected only if Microsoft Java Virtual Machine version 1.1 is installed and enabled in Internet Explorer, allowing Java applets to access the INativeServices class methods.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Disable or remove the Microsoft Java VM from Internet Explorer, or use an alternative browser that does not support the vulnerable Java implementation. This is a legacy 2002 vulnerability affecting obsolete systems.

Fix this in Java Virtual Machine Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
7.0 hours of engineering $1,240
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Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-1290 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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