CVE-2008-4368
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 default configuration of Java 1.5 on Apple Mac OS X 10.5.4 and 10.5.5 contains a jurisdiction policy that limits Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) key sizes to 128 bits, which makes it easier for attackers to decrypt ciphertext produced by JCE.
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 confidenceJava 1.5 on Mac OS X 10.5.4 and 10.5.5 ships with restricted JCE jurisdiction policy files that limit symmetric encryption key sizes to 128 bits, weakening cryptographic protection for any ciphertext produced using Java's cryptography libraries. This makes cryptographic attacks computationally easier against systems using JCE-based encryption.
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= 10.5.4= 10.5.5CVSS 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
- None
- Availability
- None
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm Mac OS X versionCheck system version by clicking Apple menu > About This Mac, or run 'sw_vers' in Terminal. Verify it shows exactly 10.5.4 or 10.5.5Affected if The system is running Mac OS X 10.5.4 or 10.5.5
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Identify Java versionRun 'java -version' in Terminal or check /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/ for installed JDKs. Look for Java 1.5 (also displayed as Java 5)Affected if Java 1.5 / Java 5 is installed
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Locate JCE policy filesNavigate to the Java installation directory. For Java 1.5 on Mac OS X, the JCE jurisdiction policy files are typically in /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5/Home/lib/security/ or the equivalent path under the active JDK. Look for files named local_policy.jar and US_export_policy.jarAffected if The policy files exist and are from the default restricted JCE distribution
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Determine policy strengthInspect the policy files. Restricted JCE policy files limit maximum key sizes to 128 bits for symmetric encryption (AES, DES, etc.). Check if unlimited strength policy files have been installed by comparing file sizes or dates against known restricted versions, or attempt to initialize a cipher with a 256-bit key and observe if it succeeds or throws a KeySize exceptionAffected if The installed policy files are the restricted versions and a 256-bit key cannot be used or throws a KeySize restriction error
You are affected if you are running Mac OS X 10.5.4 or 10.5.5 with Java 1.5 and the default restricted JCE jurisdiction policy files that limit symmetric encryption keys to 128 bits.
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 dataReplace the restricted JCE jurisdiction policy files with unlimited strength policy files (obtainable from Apple or Oracle) to enable 256-bit or larger key sizes, then verify applications function correctly with the enhanced cryptography.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2008-4368 — 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-2008-4368 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
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