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JavaApplication · Ibm

CVE-2013-5457

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2013-11-24
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
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
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Java SDK 7.0.0 before SR6, 6.0.1 before SR7, and 6.0.0 before SR15 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.

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 confidence

This is a remote code execution vulnerability in IBM Java SDK versions 6.0.0 through 6.0.1 and 7.0.0 prior to security fix releases. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, likely through malicious input processed by the Java runtime.

MitigationUpgrade IBM Java SDK to version 7.0.0 SR6 or later, 6.0.1 SR7 or later, or 6.0.0 SR15 or later. Apply the appropriate IBM Java security patch for the installed version.

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
JavaApplication
Affected:= 6.0.0.0= 6.0.1.0= 7.0.0.0

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. Verify IBM Java SDK is installed
    Run 'java -version' or check for IBM Java binaries in the system PATH. Look for 'IBM' or 'J9' in the version output.
    Affected if The output does not identify an IBM Java Runtime Environment or SDK.
  2. Determine the exact IBM Java version
    Execute 'java -version 2>&1' and examine the full version string. For deeper detail, use 'java -fullversion' if available. The version typically appears as format: 6.0.0, 6.0.1, 7.0.0 or with SR (Service Release) suffixes like 6.0.0_SR15.
    Affected if The version cannot be determined or the output is unclear.
  3. Compare installed version against affected range
    Check if the installed version falls within: IBM Java 6.0.0.0 through 6.0.1.x versions prior to SR7, or IBM Java 7.0.0.0 versions prior to SR6. Parse the version number and SR level from step 2.
    Affected if The installed version is 6.0.0.0, 6.0.1.0, or 7.0.0.0 (or any 6.0.0.x or 6.0.1.x version before the respective SR7/SR6 fixes), and has not been patched.
  4. Confirm the specific fix level if version is in range
    If the base version matches 6.0.0, 6.0.1, or 7.0.0, verify whether the applicable IBM security patch has been applied. This may require checking the detailed version string for SR (Service Release) numbers or build identifiers.
    Affected if The version shows 6.0.0 SR0-SR14, 6.0.1 SR0-SR6, or 7.0.0 SR0-SR5 without the corresponding security patch applied.

A system is affected if IBM Java SDK version 6.0.0.0 through 6.0.1.x (before SR7) or 7.0.0.0 (before SR6) is installed and has not received the specific IBM security patch for this CVE.

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

Upgrade IBM Java SDK to version 7.0.0 SR6 or later, 6.0.1 SR7 or later, or 6.0.0 SR15 or later. Apply the appropriate IBM Java security patch for the installed version.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

IBM Java SDK 7.0.0 SR6+, 6.0.1 SR7+, or 6.0.0 SR15+ (or migrate to supported Java 8+)

  1. 1. Identify the exact IBM Java SDK version currently installed by running 'java -version' or checking the JRE/JDK properties
  2. 2. Determine which IBM Java 6 or 7 Service Release (SR) is currently in use: for 6.0.0.x check SR version, for 6.0.1.x check SR version, for 7.0.0.x check SR version
  3. 3. If running IBM Java 7.0.0, upgrade to SR6 or later (e.g., 7.0.0 SR6, 7.0.0 SR7, 7.0.0 SR8, or later)
  4. 4. If running IBM Java 6.0.1, upgrade to SR7 or later
  5. 5. If running IBM Java 6.0.0, upgrade to SR15 or later
  6. 6. Obtain the fixed IBM Java SDK from IBM Support Portal or official IBM distribution channels
  7. 7. Install the updated IBM Java SDK following standard installation procedures
  8. 8. Update JAVA_HOME environment variable to point to the new installation directory
Caveat IBM Java 6 and 7 are end-of-life; upgrading may require migration to IBM Java 8 or later which could introduce compatibility issues; test applications thoroughly

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

Fix this in Java Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,380
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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-2013-5457 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