CriticalCVE-2016-3427

    Oracle Java SE and JRockit Unspecified Vulnerability (CVE-2016-3427)

    Published In CISA KEV since Sources: CVE.org

    What is affected, what to do

    Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 6u113, 7u99, and 8u77; Java SE Embedded 8u77; and JRockit R28.3.9 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to JMX.

    The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. Update Apache Cassandra to version 2.1.22, Apache Cassandra to version 2.2.18, Apache Cassandra to version 3.0.22. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

    Affected
    • Oracle JDK eq 1.6.0..1.6.0
    • Oracle JDK eq 1.7.0..1.7.0
    • Oracle JDK eq 1.8.0..1.8.0
    • Oracle JRE eq 1.6.0..1.6.0
    • Oracle JRE eq 1.7.0..1.7.0
    • Oracle JRE eq 1.8.0..1.8.0
    • Oracle JRockit eq r28.3.9..r28.3.9
    • Oracle Linux eq 5..5
    • Oracle Linux eq 6..6
    • Oracle Linux eq 7..7
    • Canonical Ubuntu Linux eq 12.04..12.04
    • Canonical Ubuntu Linux eq 14.04..14.04
    • Canonical Ubuntu Linux eq 15.10..15.10
    • Canonical Ubuntu Linux eq 16.04..16.04
    • Debian Linux eq 8.0..8.0
    • NetApp StorageGRID lte *..9.0.4
    • NetApp VASA Provider for Clustered Data ONTAP gte 7.2..*
    • Netapp Virtual Storage Console gte 7.2..*
    • Apache Cassandra lt 2.1.0..2.1.22
    • Apache Cassandra lt 2.2.0..2.2.18
    • Apache Cassandra lt 3.0.0..3.0.22
    • Apache Cassandra lt 3.11.0..3.11.8
    • Apache Cassandra eq 4.0.0..4.0.0
    • Red Hat Satellite eq 5.6..5.6
    • Red Hat Satellite eq 5.7..5.7
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop eq 5.0..5.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop eq 6.0..6.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop eq 7.0..7.0
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 6.7..6.7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.2..7.2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.3..7.3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.4..7.4
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.5..7.5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.6..7.6
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.7..7.7
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server eq 5.0..5.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server eq 6.0..6.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server eq 7.0..7.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Advanced mission critical Update Support (AUS) eq 7.2..7.2
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Advanced mission critical Update Support (AUS) eq 7.3..7.3
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Advanced mission critical Update Support (AUS) eq 7.4..7.4
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Advanced mission critical Update Support (AUS) eq 7.6..7.6
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Advanced mission critical Update Support (AUS) eq 7.7..7.7
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 6.7..6.7
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Extended Update Support (EUS) eq 7.2..7.2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (TUS) eq 7.2..7.2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (TUS) eq 7.3..7.3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (TUS) eq 7.6..7.6
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (TUS) eq 7.7..7.7
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation eq 5.0..5.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation eq 6.0..6.0
    • Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation eq 7.0..7.0
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Module For Legacy eq 12..12
    • SUSE Manager eq 2.1..2.1
    • SUSE Manager Proxy eq 2.1..2.1
    • Suse Openstack Cloud eq 5..5
    • openSUSE Leap eq 42.1..42.1
    • OpenSUSE eq 13.1..13.1
    • OpenSUSE eq 13.2..13.2
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop eq 12..12
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server eq 10..10
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server eq 11..11
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server eq 12..12
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit (SDK) eq 11..11
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit (SDK) eq 12..12
    Fixed in
    • Apache Cassandra 2.1.22
    • Apache Cassandra 2.2.18
    • Apache Cassandra 3.0.22
    • Apache Cassandra 3.11.8

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    9.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: NVD, CVSS v3

    9.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity Critical on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: CVE.org

    92.3 %

    EPSS score

    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 99.82

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    Critical
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    228.71 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    actively exploited
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    9.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    9.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    92.3 %
    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    99.82
    Critical — this CVE ranks in the top fifth of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 80%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited
    Published
    In CISA KEV since

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary

    Response and mitigation

    Why act now?

    Prioritisation rationale

    The flaw sits in the JRE's JMX path: credential objects are deserialised during authentication before any check takes place. That gives network-reachable, unauthenticated, no-user-interaction code execution in the JVM's context. Weaponised tooling (ysoserial-style JMX/RMI attacks) has been public for years, exploitation likelihood is among the very highest of any CVE, and typical targets are exposed Cassandra clusters, application servers and monitoring agents with open JMX. Treat it as critical and fix immediately wherever JMX is reachable from the internet or user networks. If JMX is verifiably bound to loopback or a sealed management network, the upgrade can follow the normal patch cycle — though residual Java 6/7 estates remain a risk that must be documented under NIS2.

    1. Runbook step 1

      Immediate response (0-24 h)

      • Find every JVM with a reachable JMX/RMI endpoint: Scan TCP 1099 (RMI registry), 7199 (Cassandra JMX default) and any custom -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.port values, e.g. nmap -sV --script rmi-dumpregistry -p 1099,7199,9010-9099 <range>. Firewall off immediately any host exposing JMX to the internet or to untrusted segments.
      • Update Java: Affected releases are Oracle Java SE 6u113, 7u99, 8u77, Java SE Embedded 8u77 and JRockit R28.3.9. Apply at least the Oracle Critical Patch Update of April 2016, and preferably move to a currently supported JDK/JRE. Look up the exact fixed build in the vendor advisory. Unsupported Java 6/7 installs are legacy and should be retired.
      • Ubuntu 12.04/15.10/16.04: Update the OpenJDK packages through Ubuntu security updates (apt-get update && apt-get install --only-upgrade 'openjdk-*'). 12.04 and 15.10 are end-of-life: migrate them or cover them via ESM.
      • Apache Cassandra: Upgrade to at least the fixed releases listed for each branch (2.1.22, 2.2.18, 3.0.22, 3.11.8). 4.0.0 is listed as affected, so move to a later 4.0.x release. Confirm details in the Cassandra advisory. Until then, set LOCAL_JMX=yes in cassandra-env.sh.
      • Client side: Disable the Java browser plug-in and Java Web Start on workstations (Java Control Panel → untick "Enable Java content in the browser"). Enforce this via GPO or deployment.properties with deployment.webjava.enabled=false.
      • Compromise assessment: On any previously exposed JMX host, hunt for unexpected JVM child processes and new files in temp directories. Rotate service credentials if indicators are found.

    2. Runbook step 2

      Mitigation layers

      • Network segmentation: Allow JMX/RMI only from a dedicated management VLAN or jump hosts. Default-deny TCP 1099, 7199 and the dynamic RMI object ports. Pin -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.rmi.port to the registry port so random high ports cannot bypass the rule.
      • JVM configuration hardening: Bind JMX to loopback (-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.host=127.0.0.1, -Djava.rmi.server.hostname=127.0.0.1). Enforce jmxremote.authenticate=true and jmxremote.ssl=true with client certificates. Where remote management is not needed, remove remote JMX entirely.
      • Deserialisation filtering: On JVMs with JEP 290 support, set jdk.serialFilter and jmx.remote.rmi.server.credential.types=java.lang.String;java.lang.String. This makes the JMX login accept only String credentials and blocks gadget chains.
      • IPS rule: Add a Suricata/Snort signature for Java serialisation magic headed to JMX ports, e.g. alert tcp !$MGMT_NET any -> $JAVA_HOSTS [1099,7199] (msg:"Java serialized object to JMX/RMI"; flow:to_server,established; content:"|ac ed 00 05|"; sid:1000001;). Also match the RMI handshake content:"JRMI"; at payload start.
      • Endpoint hardening / least privilege: Run Java services under dedicated unprivileged accounts with no login shell and no write access outside their data directory. Use AppArmor/SELinux or a WDAC/ASR rule to stop java processes from spawning shells.

    3. Runbook step 3

      Detection rules

      • EDR/Sysmon EID 1 (process ancestry): Watch for java.exe/javaw.exe spawning cmd.exe, powershell.exe, wscript.exe, certutil.exe or bitsadmin.exe. Example KQL: DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName in~ ("java.exe","javaw.exe") and FileName in~ ("cmd.exe","powershell.exe","certutil.exe")
      • Linux auditd: Look for execve events with parent java and exe in /bin/sh, /bin/bash, curl, wget or nc. Sigma shape: logsource: product=linux, service=auditd, selection: type=EXECVE, ppid_comm=java, exe|endswith: ['/sh','/bash','/curl','/wget'].
      • Network telemetry (Zeek/Suricata): Flag inbound TCP sessions to 1099/7199 from outside the management range, with JRMI or ac ed 00 05 payloads. Outbound connections from the Java host to unknown LDAP/RMI/HTTP destinations shortly afterwards indicate a JRMP callback stage. Example SPL: index=zeek sourcetype=conn id.resp_p IN (1099,7199) NOT src_ip IN ($mgmt$) | stats count by src_ip, dest_ip
      • Application/JVM logs: Look for bursts of SecurityException, InvalidClassException or ClassNotFoundException that reference gadget-library classes (e.g. org.apache.commons.collections, sun.reflect.annotation.AnnotationInvocationHandler) in Cassandra or application logs.
      • Sysmon EID 11/3: Watch for new .jar, .class or .sh files written by java into temp paths, followed by outbound network connections from the same process.

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 6u113, 7u99, and 8u77; Java SE Embedded 8u77; and JRockit R28.3.9 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to JMX.

    Source: NVD (NIST), cvelistv5, CISA KEV Catalog, CVE.org (MITRE)

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    apachecassandra
    • 3.11.0 – < 3.11.8
    • 4.0.0
    • 2.1.0 – < 2.1.22
    • 3.0.0 – < 3.0.22
    • 2.2.0 – < 2.2.18
    • 3.11.8
    • —
    • 2.1.22
    • 3.0.22
    • 2.2.18
    netappe-series_santricity_management_plug-ins
    • —
    • —
    netappe-series_santricity_storage_manager
    • —
    • —
    netappe-series_santricity_web_services
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_balance
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_cloud_manager
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_insight
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_performance_manager
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_report
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_shift
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_unified_manager
    • —
    • —
    netapponcommand_workflow_automation
    • —
    • —
    netappstoragegrid
    • ≤ 9.0.4
    • —
    netappvasa_provider_for_clustered_data_ontap
    • ≥ 7.2
    • —
    netappvirtual_storage_console
    • ≥ 7.2
    • —
    oraclejdk
    • 1.7.0
    • 1.8.0
    • 1.6.0
    • —
    • —
    • —
    oraclejre
    • 1.8.0
    • 1.6.0
    • 1.7.0
    • —
    • —
    • —
    oraclejrockit
    • r28.3.9
    • —
    redhatsatellite
    • 5.7
    • 5.6
    • —
    • —
    suselinux_enterprise_module_for_legacy
    • 12
    • —
    susemanager
    • 2.1
    • —
    susemanager_proxy
    • 2.1
    • —
    suseopenstack_cloud
    • 5
    • —

    Vendors and products

    Affected operating systems

    Affected operating systems
    Linuxdebiandebian_linux8.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_desktop5.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_desktop6.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_desktop7.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus6.7
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.2
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.3
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.4
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.5
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus7.7
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server5.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server6.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server7.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_aus7.2
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_aus7.3
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_aus7.4
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_aus7.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_aus7.7
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_eus6.7
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_eus7.2
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_tus7.2
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_tus7.3
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_server_tus7.6

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    CISA KEV CatalogCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)cisa.govactively exploited

    References & sources

    • lists.opensuse.orgopenSUSE-SU-2016:1222Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0677Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgSUSE-SU-2016:1299Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:1039Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0701Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • ubuntu.comUSN-2972-1Vendor advisory, x_refsource_UBUNTU, Third-party advisory
    • oracle.comtechnetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.htmlx_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgSUSE-SU-2016:1303Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • securitytracker.com1037331Vulnerability database, x_refsource_SECTRACK, Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
    • lists.opensuse.orgSUSE-SU-2016:1475Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgopenSUSE-SU-2016:1235Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgopenSUSE-SU-2016:1262Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgSUSE-SU-2016:1300Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0676Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • access.redhat.comRHSA-2016:1430Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • security.netapp.comadvisory/ntap-20160420-0001x_refsource_CONFIRM, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0708Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0723Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • rhn.redhat.comRHSA-2016:0651Vendor advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, Third-party advisory
    • lists.opensuse.orgSUSE-SU-2016:1378Vendor advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
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