Top 5 Java Vulnerabilities

Although it’s quite easy to assume that our code is safe, protecting apps isn’t always simple. It might be challenging to develop a specialized application with so many components to protect. We frequently consider vulnerabilities and potential attacks last.

We primarily focus on meetings, sprints, scrums, and whatever the most recent pivots marketing has authorized.

Table of Content

• What is Java Vulnerability?
• Top 5 Java Vulnerabilities
• Log4J: The Most Critical Java Vulnerability
  • How to Solve Log4J Vulnerability?
• In a nutshell

What is Java Vulnerability?

Java is a server-side language that is comparatively safe, yet there are still several ways to destroy and access information that should be kept private. Java frequently has a poor name when it comes to security, but given that half of the corporate programs created in the previous 15 years used the language, Java’s persistence might be more to criticize than the language’s actual security flaws.

Due to Java’s widespread use, a thorough

vulnerability assessment of Java-related gear and technologies is essential for ensuring robust security- regardless of whether you’re managing a whole CI/CD pipeline or a few internal company web apps.

Top 5 Java Vulnerabilities

Here is a list of the top 5 most frequent Java vulnerabilities to give you a head start on potential exploits that your code may be vulnerable to.

1. Injection

When an application is unable to correctly discriminate between untrusted user input and code, injection occurs. Injection vulnerabilities might also show themselves in other ways.

Some of the most popular injection vulnerabilities that affect Java often are SQL Injection, LDAP Injection, NoSQL Injection Log Injection, Command Injection, etc.

Applying input validation along with output sanitizing and escaping is the simplest approach. According to what your application is doing, any attempts to deliver HTML code will either be refused or processed.

2. Unsafe Deserialization

An object created in a programming language, such as a Java object, is transformed into a form that can be stored in a database or sent over a network during the process known as serialization. Deserialization describes the process of reading a serialized object from a file or the internet and turning it back into an object.

3. Improper Access Control

Improper access control is essentially what authentication bypass problems are. It occurs when access control is incorrectly implemented leaving a loophole for the attacker. Access control, however, includes more than just authentication. Authorization confirms the identity of the user by asking several questions. If the users fail to authenticate themselves, they aren’t allowed to access certain functionalities of the application.

Access control lists, Role-based access control, and Ownership-based access control approaches are some common vulnerabilities available for configuring user permission.

4. Denial of Service Attacks

Denial of service, or DoS, prevents authorized users from using the target machine’s services by disrupting them. Attackers can execute denial-of-service attacks by using up all the server’s resources, terminating processes, or sending out an excessive number of time-consuming HTTP requests all at once.

The defense against denial of service assaults is severe. However, there are techniques to lessen your threat by making it as challenging as you can for attackers. For instance, you may define file size restrictions and block specific file types to implement a firewall that gives DoS protection and thwart logic-based DoS assaults.

5. Remote Code Execution

When attackers are able to run their code on your system, it’s known as a remote code execution vulnerability or RCE vulnerability. Command injection flaws are one method via which this may occur. They are a sort of remote code execution that happens when human input is combined with a system command. The application processes the input from the user as code because it is unable to distinguish between the user input and the system command. On the system, the attacker will have the ability to run any command.

Implementing rigorous data validation and authentication is one of the simplest approaches to avoiding Denial of Service Attacks.

Log4J: The Most Critical Java Vulnerability

Apart from the above mentioned vulnerability, one of the most popular Java vulnerabilities is Log4J. Apache Log4J, a Java-based logging framework, is used to examine the Web servers’ and particular applications’ log files.

Modern applications need logging, and the industry leader in this field is Log4j, a logging library.

Log4j uses three prime components for its performance:

• Loggers to record logging data
• Formats for formatting logging records in various ways
• Appenders to distribute logging data to various locations

Organizations and people are adopting measures to protect their apps, systems, and data in response to the growing cybersecurity concerns throughout the world. By executing code remotely, it enables an attacker to take over a connected device or programme. They can even:

• • Run any programme on the system or device

• Get to any network or data
• any file on the afflicted app or device to alter or encrypt

How to Solve Log4J Vulnerability?

Not all of Log4j’s bugs have been fixed yet. However, there’s a possibility that Log4j, employed in your application, is being used by you or your vendor. You can ensure to adhere to specific remedial actions if you want to secure your data, systems, and network.

• • Update the version of Log4j.
  • Use the most recent security and firewall technologies.
  • Utilize MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication).

• A system property change.
• Utilize a scanner for Log4j vulnerabilities.

In a nutshell

Even though Java may serve as both the front end and the back end at the same time, it’s still a good idea to verify that the data your user provides matches what you were expecting. Instead of determining and excluding everything else, setting up your verification parameters can just need defining what is allowed.

To address the aforementioned vulnerabilities, Apponword can assist you in determining which technologies are present in your environment and directing you to the vendor or project’s website for update or patch information. We go beyond our customizable Java vulnerability policy to include any special tests for new Java tools. Take it for a free test drive right now.