# CVE-2008-3111: Memory corruption in n/a

> Buffer overflows in Sun Java Web Start allow attackers to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges via malicious JNLP files.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Jul 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-984m-qj9q-3464

## What is CVE-2008-3111?

CVE-2008-3111 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 9 Jul 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple buffer overflows in Sun Java Web Start in JDK and JRE 6 before Update 4, JDK and JRE 5.0 before Update 16, and SDK and JRE 1.4.x before 1.4.2_18 allow context-dependent attackers to gain privileges via an untrusted application, as demonstrated by (a) an application that grants itself privileges to (1) read local files, (2) write to local files, or (3) execute local programs; and as demonstrated by (b) a long value associated with a java-vm-args attribute in a j2se tag in a JNLP file, which triggers a stack-based buffer overflow in the GetVMArgsOption function; aka CR 6557220.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3111?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Sun Jdk, Sun Jre, Sun Sdk.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3111?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-3111 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-3111 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Sun Jdk

- [CVE-2011-3521](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3521/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3548](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3548/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3549](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3549/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3554](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3554/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-0802](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-0802/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-3111 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3111 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 9 Jul 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-3111 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Sun Jdk. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3111/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3111/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3111
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3111
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3111

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3111/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.