# CVE-2009-3875: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication by exploiting timing side-channels in Java's MessageDigest.isEqual function to spoof HMAC signatures.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Nov 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p88x-7ffg-vgpw

## What is CVE-2009-3875?

CVE-2009-3875 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 5 Nov 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The MessageDigest.isEqual function in Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in Sun Java SE in JDK and JRE 5.0 before Update 22, JDK and JRE 6 before Update 17, SDK and JRE 1.3.x before 1.3.1_27, and SDK and JRE 1.4.x before 1.4.2_24 allows remote attackers to spoof HMAC-based digital signatures, and possibly bypass authentication, via unspecified vectors related to "timing attack vulnerabilities," aka Bug Id 6863503.

Weakness: CWE-310

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-3875?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Sun Jdk, Sun Jre, Sun Sdk.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-3875?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2009-3875 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-3875 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-2009-3875 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-3875 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 5 Nov 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-3875 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-2009-3875/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3875/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3875
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3875
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-3875

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3875/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.