CVE-2024-20903
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 · uneditedVulnerability in the Java VM component of Oracle Database Server. Supported versions that are affected are 19.3-19.21 and 21.3-21.12. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker having Create Session, Create Procedure privilege with network access via Oracle Net to compromise Java VM. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Java VM accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 6.5 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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 confidenceCVE-2024-20903 is a vulnerability in the Java VM component of Oracle Database Server affecting versions 19.3-19.21 and 21.3-21.12. An attacker with low privileges (Create Session, Create Procedure) and network access via Oracle Net can exploit this to achieve unauthorized creation, deletion, or modification of data accessible through Java VM.
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>= 19.3, <= 19.21>= 21.3, <= 21.12CVSS 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
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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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Identify Oracle Database versionConnect to the database as a DBA user and run: SELECT version FROM v$instance;Affected if The version falls within 19.3 through 19.21, or 21.3 through 21.12
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Verify Java VM component is installedQuery DBA_REGISTRY to check if Java VM is present: SELECT comp_name, version, status FROM DBA_REGISTRY WHERE comp_name LIKE '%Java%';Affected if Java VM component is present in the database registry
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Confirm Java VM is accessible to low-privileged usersCheck if the database has users granted Create Session and Create Procedure privileges: SELECT grantee, privilege FROM dba_sys_privs WHERE privilege IN ('CREATE SESSION', 'CREATE PROCEDURE');Affected if Low-privileged users have both Create Session and Create Procedure privileges granted
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Check Oracle Net listener statusRun command: lsnrctl status LISTENER (or check if port 1521 is open and listening)Affected if Oracle Net listener is active and accepting connections from the network
If the database version is 19.3-19.21 or 21.3-21.12 AND Java VM is installed AND low-privileged users have Create Session/Create Procedure AND Oracle Net is network-accessible, the environment is affected by this vulnerability.
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.
dbcve · scopedApply the Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) that addresses this vulnerability. Alternatively, restrict network access to Oracle Net and limit Java VM privileges for low-privileged users until patching can be completed.
Upgrade to Oracle Database 19.22 or higher (19.3-19.21 to 19.22+), or Oracle Database 21.13 or higher (21.3-21.12 to 21.13+)
- Identify the current Oracle Database Server version using SQL*Plus: SELECT VERSION FROM V$INSTANCE;
- Confirm Java VM component is in use: SELECT COMP_NAME, VERSION, STATUS FROM DBA_REGISTRY WHERE COMP_NAME LIKE '%Java%';
- Review Oracle Critical Patch Update advisory for January 2024 (or most recent) at oracle.com/security-alerts to obtain the exact fixed patch number for your platform
- Apply the appropriate Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) that addresses CVE-2024-20903, or upgrade to a version beyond 19.21 or 21.12 as listed in the advisory
- After patching, verify the fix: SELECT VERSION FROM V$INSTANCE; and re-check DBA_REGISTRY for Java component status
- Test Java VM functionality to ensure the patch does not impact legitimate applications
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-20903 — 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-2024-20903 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
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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