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JdkApplication · Sun

CVE-2008-2086

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2008-12-05
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 6 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
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
Sun Java Web Start and Java Plug-in for JDK and JRE 6 Update 10 and earlier; JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 16 and earlier; and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_18 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted jnlp file that modifies the (1) java.home, (2) java.ext.dirs, or (3) user.home System Properties, aka "Java Web Start File Inclusion" and CR 6694892.

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

This vulnerability in Sun Java Web Start and Java Plug-in allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .jnlp (Java Network Launching Protocol) file. The malicious jnlp file can modify critical System Properties (java.home, java.ext.dirs, user.home), enabling path manipulation and arbitrary code execution by controlling the Java class loading mechanism. This is essentially a file inclusion vulnerability in the Java Web Start component.

MitigationUpgrade to Java versions beyond the affected releases (JDK/JRE 6 Update 11+, 5.0 Update 17+, 1.4.2_19+). If upgrading is not immediately feasible, disable Java Web Start in the Java Control Panel, block untrusted .jnlp files at the network perimeter, and educate users not to open suspicious jnlp files from untrusted sources.

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
JdkApplication
Affected:<= 5.0<= 6= 5.0= 6
JreApplication
Affected:<= 1.4.2_18<= 5.0<= 6= 1.4.2_1= 1.4.2_2= 1.4.2_3= 1.4.2_4= 1.4.2_5= 1.4.2_6= 1.4.2_7= 1.4.2_8= 1.4.2_9
SdkApplication
Affected:<= 1.4.2_18= 1.4.2_1= 1.4.2_2= 1.4.2_3= 1.4.2_4= 1.4.2_5= 1.4.2_6= 1.4.2_7= 1.4.2_8= 1.4.2_9= 1.4.2_10= 1.4.2_11

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
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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. Check installed JRE/JDK version
    Run 'java -version' from command line or check registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\CurrentVersion
    Affected if Version is 1.4.2_18 or earlier, 5.0 (any update), or 6 (any update)
  2. Verify Java Web Start is installed
    Locate javaws.exe in the Java installation directory (typically JRE_HOME/bin/javaws.exe or JDK_HOME/jre/bin/javaws.exe)
    Affected if javaws.exe exists and matches an affected version from step 1
  3. Confirm Java Plug-in browser extension status
    Check browser add-ons/settings for 'Java Plug-in' or 'Sun Java Console' extension. On Windows, also verify presence of npjpi.dll or similar plugin files in the Java installation
    Affected if Java Plug-in is enabled in any web browser on the system
  4. Check .jnlp file association
    Verify that .jnlp files are associated with Java Web Start (javaws) by checking file associations in the OS or testing a sample .jnlp file launch
    Affected if jnlp files can be launched through Java Web Start and the Java version is affected

The system is affected if it runs any Sun JRE/JDK/SDK version 1.4.2_18 or earlier, 5.0, or 6, and has Java Web Start or the Java Plug-in enabled and accessible.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 6
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Java versions beyond the affected releases (JDK/JRE 6 Update 11+, 5.0 Update 17+, 1.4.2_19+). If upgrading is not immediately feasible, disable Java Web Start in the Java Control Panel, block untrusted .jnlp files at the network perimeter, and educate users not to open suspicious jnlp files from untrusted sources.

Recommended fix High confidence

Java 6 Update 11 or later; Java 5.0 Update 17 or later; Java 1.4.2_19 or later (or migrate to currently supported Java versions such as Java 8, 11, or 17 LTS)

  1. 1. Identify all Java installations on the system using 'java -version' and checking JAVA_HOME environment variable
  2. 2. Remove or disable vulnerable Java versions (1.4.2_18 and earlier, 5.0 Update 16 and earlier, 6 Update 10 and earlier)
  3. 3. Download and install a newer, supported Java version from Oracle (java.com) or OpenJDK (openjdk.java.net)
  4. 4. Verify the new Java installation by running 'java -version'
  5. 5. Update JAVA_HOME and PATH environment variables to point to the new installation
  6. 6. Update any applications that reference the old Java installation paths
Caveat Applications tested with older Java versions may require regression testing; some deprecated APIs may have been removed in newer versions; ensure application compatibility before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Jdk Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
25.0 hours of engineering $4,400
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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-2008-2086 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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