CVE-2008-5659
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 gnu.java.security.util.PRNG class in GNU Classpath 0.97.2 and earlier uses a predictable seed based on the system time, which makes it easier for context-dependent attackers to conduct brute force attacks against cryptographic routines that use this class for randomness, as demonstrated against DSA private keys.
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 gnu.java.security.util.PRNG class in GNU Classpath 0.97.2 and earlier uses system time as its seed, which is predictable. This undermines cryptographic operations (like DSA key generation) that rely on this PRNG for randomness, enabling brute-force attacks on private keys.
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<= 0.97.2= 0.6= 0.7= 0.8= 0.9= 0.10= 0.11= 0.12= 0.13= 0.14= 0.15= 0.16CVSS 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 GNU Classpath installation and versionLocate the GNU Classpath jar file or library in your environment and determine its version numberAffected if The version is 0.97.2 or earlier, or matches any of these: 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 0.10, 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, 0.14, 0.15, or 0.16
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Locate the vulnerable PRNG classSearch for the class file gnu.java.security.util.PRNG in your classpath or installed librariesAffected if This class file exists in your environment
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Inspect PRNG implementation for system time seedingDecompile or inspect the PRNG class to verify it uses java.util.Date or System.currentTimeMillis() as its seed sourceAffected if The PRNG class uses system time as its seed source
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Detect usage in cryptographic operationsSearch application code and dependencies for imports or references to gnu.java.security.util.PRNG, particularly in DSA key generation or other cryptographic contextsAffected if Code explicitly instantiates or calls methods on gnu.java.security.util.PRNG for cryptographic randomness
You are affected if GNU Classpath version 0.97.2 or earlier is installed AND the vulnerable PRNG class is present and being used for cryptographic operations that require secure randomness.
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 usage of the vulnerable PRNG class with java.security.SecureRandom or a cryptographically secure PRNG implementation, and upgrade to a patched version of GNU Classpath if available.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2008-5659 — 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-2008-5659 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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