Appsecure logo

CVE-2022-21626: Medium Vulnerability in Oracle Java SE and GraalVM

A medium-severity vulnerability in Oracle Java SE and GraalVM allows unauthenticated attackers to cause partial denial of service. Organizations should prioritize patching to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.

MEDIUMCVSS 5.3 · Published October 18, 2022

Not a customer? See how AppSecure simulates real world attacks to protect your infrastructure.

Speak to Experts

CVE-2022-21626 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Oracle Java SE and Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. Published on October 18, 2022, this vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers with network access via HTTPS to compromise affected products. The vulnerability is classified with a CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3, indicating a medium level of risk due to its potential to cause a partial denial of service (DoS).

Organizations utilizing Oracle Java SE (versions 8u341, 8u345-perf, 11.0.16.1) and GraalVM Enterprise Edition (versions 20.3.7, 21.3.3, and 22.2.0) should be particularly vigilant. The vulnerability primarily impacts Java deployments that load untrusted code, such as sandboxed Java Web Start applications or applets. Attackers may exploit this through APIs provided by the component.

Given the exploitation status and the nature of this vulnerability, organizations are advised to prioritize patching immediately to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and service disruption.

This vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and monitoring applications that interact with untrusted code. Organizations should continuously assess their systems for vulnerabilities to prevent potential exploitation.

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit Oracle Java SE and GraalVM Enterprise Edition, with a CVSS score of 5.3 indicating a medium severity level. The vulnerability is characterized by availability impacts, specifically a partial denial of service. The affected products include multiple versions of Oracle Java SE and GraalVM, particularly versions 8u341, 8u345-perf, 11.0.16.1, and GraalVM versions 20.3.7, 21.3.3, and 22.2.0.

The publication date of this vulnerability is October 18, 2022. It is categorized under the NVD-CWE-noinfo, which highlights the need for comprehensive vulnerability management practices in organizations utilizing Oracle products.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of CVE-2022-21626 stems from the design of Oracle Java SE and GraalVM, which allows untrusted code to be executed in a sandboxed environment. The attack vector is through network access, specifically via HTTPS, making it relatively easy for attackers to target vulnerable systems with low complexity. No privileges are required for exploitation, and there is no user interaction necessary.

This vulnerability impacts the availability of the system, leading to potential service disruptions. The confidentiality and integrity of the system remain unaffected in this context.

Risk & Impact Analysis

Risk to organizations includes the possibility of unauthorized access and partial denial of service. Given the medium CVSS score, organizations must evaluate their exposure to this vulnerability and the potential impact on their operations. Exploitation could lead to service downtime, affecting both internal and external users.

Organizations should assess their deployment of Java applications to determine if they are utilizing any vulnerable versions. The urgency for remediation is classified as high, as early detection and patching can prevent exploitation and maintain service integrity.

Signal

Status

Known Exploit

No

Public PoC

No

Actively Exploited

No

Ransomware Use

No

Affected Versions

Affected versions include Oracle Java SE: 8u341, 8u345-perf, 11.0.16.1; and Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 20.3.7, 21.3.3, and 22.2.0. Organizations should ensure that they are updated to the latest versions to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should implement the following mitigation measures to address CVE-2022-21626:

1. Apply available patches for Oracle Java SE and GraalVM to the latest versions.

2. Implement network controls to restrict access to Java applications that may be vulnerable.

3. Monitor application logs for unusual activity that may indicate an attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.

4. Consider engaging in penetration testing to validate the effectiveness of remediation efforts.

Detection Guidance

To detect potential exploitation of CVE-2022-21626, organizations should monitor for:

1. Unusual access patterns to Java applications from external networks.

2. Error messages indicating service disruption or crashes in Java applications.

3. Changes in application performance metrics that may suggest partial denial of service.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

The long-term significance of CVE-2022-21626 highlights the need for organizations to maintain robust security practices, particularly regarding the use of Java in their application stack. As the threat landscape evolves, it is crucial for security teams to recognize vulnerabilities that could lead to service interruptions or data breaches.

Organizations should regularly evaluate their security posture and engage in continuous security assessments. For further reading on enhancing security measures, refer to our article on penetration testing methodology and our guide on designing a vulnerability management program that can help in identifying and mitigating similar vulnerabilities.

Additionally, understanding the API security landscape is crucial as many vulnerabilities can arise from misconfigurations or insecure APIs.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

Latest CVEs. Recently published vulnerabilities from the NVD database.

View all vulnerabilities
CVE IDSeverity
CVE-2025-65418HIGH
CVE-2025-65417MEDIUM
CVE-2025-65416MEDIUM
CVE-2025-65415MEDIUM
CVE-2025-61314HIGH

Protect Your Business with Hacker-Focused Approach.