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GraalvmApplication · Oracle

CVE-2024-20921

MEDIUM · 5.9 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-02-17
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
68/100
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 Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition product of Oracle Java SE (component: Hotspot). Supported versions that are affected are Oracle Java SE: 8u391, 8u391-perf, 11.0.21, 17.0.9, 21.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.9, 21.0.1; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 20.3.12, 21.3.8 and 22.3.4. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition accessible data. Note: This vulnerability can be exploited by using APIs in the specified Component, e.g., through a web service which supplies data to the APIs. This vulnerability also applies to Java deployments, typically in clients running sandboxed Java Web Start applications or sandboxed Java applets, that load and run untrusted code (e.g., code that comes from the internet) and rely on the Java sandbox for security. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.9 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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 confidence

This is a vulnerability in the Oracle Java SE Hotspot component (the JVM's JIT compiler and runtime). The flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to potentially gain unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all accessible data, primarily impacting confidentiality. It can be exploited through APIs (e.g., web services), or by tricking users into running untrusted code through sandboxed Java Web Start applications or applets.

MitigationApply the Oracle Java SE / GraalVM patches for the affected versions (8u391+, 11.0.21+, 17.0.9+, 21.0.1+, and corresponding GraalVM versions). For client-side deployments, ensure users do not run untrusted code in sandboxed applets or Java Web Start applications.

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
GraalvmApplication
Affected:= 20.3.12= 21.3.8= 22.3.4
Graalvm For JdkApplication
Affected:= 17.0.9= 21.0.1
JdkApplication
Affected:= 1.8.0= 11.0.21= 17.0.9= 21.0.1
JreApplication
Affected:= 1.8.0= 11.0.21= 17.0.9= 21.0.1

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify installed Java product
    Run 'java -version' or 'java -showversion' to display the installed JRE/JDK version and vendor information. For GraalVM, check with 'java -version' and look for 'GraalVM' in the output.
    Affected if The output shows Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM, or Oracle GraalVM for JDK
  2. Determine exact version number
    Run 'java -version 2>&1' to capture the full version string (e.g., 1.8.0_xxx, 11.0.21, 17.0.9, 21.0.1). Compare against the affected versions: 1.8.0, 11.0.21, 17.0.9, 21.0.1 for JDK/JRE; 20.3.12, 21.3.8, 22.3.4 for GraalVM; 17.0.9, 21.0.1 for GraalVM for JDK.
    Affected if The installed version exactly matches one of the listed affected versions
  3. Check if Hotspot JVM is in use
    Run 'java -version -verbose' or check the JVM vendor string. Oracle JDK/JRE uses the Hotspot VM by default. The vulnerability is in the Hotspot component (JIT compiler and runtime).
    Affected if The JVM implementation is Oracle Hotspot (not alternative VMs like OpenJ9)

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

Apply the Oracle Java SE / GraalVM patches for the affected versions (8u391+, 11.0.21+, 17.0.9+, 21.0.1+, and corresponding GraalVM versions). For client-side deployments, ensure users do not run untrusted code in sandboxed applets or Java Web Start applications.

Recommended fix High confidence

Oracle Java SE 8u401+/11.0.22+/17.0.10+/21.0.2+ or GraalVM Enterprise Edition 20.3.13+/21.3.9+/22.3.5+ or GraalVM for JDK 17.0.10+/21.0.2+

  1. 1. Identify the exact Oracle Java SE, GraalVM for JDK, or GraalVM Enterprise Edition version currently installed
  2. 2. For Oracle Java SE: upgrade to Java 8u401+, Java 11.0.22+, Java 17.0.10+, or Java 21.0.2+ depending on your release line
  3. 3. For GraalVM for JDK: upgrade to 17.0.10+ or 21.0.2+ depending on your release line
  4. 4. For GraalVM Enterprise Edition: upgrade to 20.3.13+, 21.3.9+, or 22.3.5+ depending on your release line
  5. 5. Download the updated version from Oracle's official website or your support channel
  6. 6. Install the update following standard Oracle upgrade procedures
  7. 7. Verify the installed version matches the target fixed version using 'java -version'
  8. 8. Test critical applications to ensure compatibility with the updated JVM
Caveat Quarterly CPU updates may introduce subtle behavioral changes; test applications thoroughly before production deployment

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

Fix this in Graalvm Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,930
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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-2024-20921 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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