dbcve.org
OpenjdkApplication · Oracle

CVE-2020-2781

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2020-04-15
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 13.0.2 or later.
See remediation →
62/100
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
Vulnerability in the Java SE, Java SE Embedded product of Oracle Java SE (component: JSSE). Supported versions that are affected are Java SE: 7u251, 8u241, 11.0.6 and 14; Java SE Embedded: 8u241. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTPS to compromise Java SE, Java SE Embedded. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Java SE, Java SE Embedded. Note: Applies to client and server deployment of Java. This vulnerability can be exploited through sandboxed Java Web Start applications and sandboxed Java applets. It can also be exploited by supplying data to APIs in the specified Component without using sandboxed Java Web Start applications or sandboxed Java applets, such as through a web service. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L).

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

Vulnerability in Oracle Java SE/Embedded JSSE (Java Secure Socket Extension) component allows unauthenticated remote attackers to cause a partial denial of service via specially crafted network packets over HTTPS. The issue impacts client and server deployments and can be exploited without user interaction through malicious web services or applications.

MitigationUpgrade Java SE to patched versions (8u251+, 11.0.7+, 14.0.1+) or Java SE Embedded to version 8u251+. For server deployments, ensure TLS handshakes are properly validated and consider rate limiting on HTTPS endpoints as a temporary mitigation.

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
OpenjdkApplication
Affected:>= 11, <= 11.0.6>= 13, <= 13.0.2= 7= 8= 14
Debian LinuxOperating system
Affected:= 8.0= 9.0= 10.0
Ubuntu LinuxOperating system
Affected:= 16.04= 18.04= 19.10
FedoraOperating system
Affected:= 30= 31= 32
JdkApplication
Affected:= 1.7.0= 1.8.0= 11.0.6= 14.0.0
JreApplication
Affected:= 1.7.0= 1.8.0= 11.0.6= 14.0.0
LeapOperating system
Affected:= 15.1= 15.2
Threat Intelligence Exchange ServerApplication
Affected:= 2.0.0= 2.0.1= 2.1.0= 2.1.1= 2.2.0= 2.3.0= 2.3.1= 3.0.0

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
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Low

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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. Identify installed Java version
    Run 'java -version' or 'java -fullversion' on the system to get the exact version string
    Affected if The version matches any of the affected ranges: Oracle OpenJDK 7, 8, 11.0.6 or earlier, 13.0.2 or earlier, 14; Oracle JDK/JRE 1.7.0, 1.8.0, 11.0.6, 14.0.0; or the listed distribution-specific packages
  2. Check if JSSE is in use
    Examine running Java processes or applications that utilize HTTPS/TLS. Look for configurations using javax.net.ssl or SSLSocket classes, or review application logs for JSSE activity
    Affected if The system runs Java applications that establish HTTPS connections or accept HTTPS requests using the JSSE library
  3. Verify deployment type
    Identify whether the Java application functions as a server (accepting HTTPS connections on ports 443, 8443, etc.) or as a client making outbound HTTPS calls. Check for SSLServerSocket or SSLEngine usage
    Affected if The deployment accepts incoming HTTPS connections (server) or makes outbound HTTPS calls (client), as both are affected per the CVE description
  4. Confirm Java vendor and update path
    Check if the installed Java is Oracle JDK/JRE, OpenJDK, or a distribution package. Run 'which java' and examine the package manager output (dpkg, rpm, apt)
    Affected if The Java installation originates from an unpatched Oracle, OpenJDK, or affected distribution vendor listed in the affected products

You are affected if you run any Oracle Java/OpenJDK version 7, 8 (up to 8u251-), 11.0.6 or earlier, 13.0.2 or earlier, or 14, and your application uses JSSE for HTTPS communication as either a client or server.

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
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 13.0.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Java SE to patched versions (8u251+, 11.0.7+, 14.0.1+) or Java SE Embedded to version 8u251+. For server deployments, ensure TLS handshakes are properly validated and consider rate limiting on HTTPS endpoints as a temporary mitigation.

Fix this in Openjdk Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,080
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,328.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-2781 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2020-2781 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

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