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CVE-2009-3873

24
FAUCET Score

CVE-2009-3873 describes a critical privilege escalation vulnerability in the JPEG Image Writer component of Sun Java SE, affecting JDK and JRE versions 5.0 (before Update 22), 6 (before Update 17), and 1.4.x (before 1.4.2_24). This flaw, stemming from a "quantization problem," allows remote attackers to gain full control over a vulnerable system by enticing a user to open a specially crafted image file. With a CVSS score of 9.3, it poses a severe risk due to its network-based attack vector, medium attack complexity, and complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Despite its high severity, there is no public exploit code available (Metasploit, Nuclei, ExploitDB), and it is not listed on the CISA KEV catalog. Furthermore, there is no evidence of active exploitation or significant community discussion surrounding this vulnerability.

Impacted Technologies

VendorProductVersion(s)CPE
1.5.0CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
1.5.0CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update_10:*:*:*:*:*:*
1.5.0CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update_11:*:*:*:*:*:*
1.5.0CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update_12:*:*:*:*:*:*
1.5.0CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update_13:*:*:*:*:*:*

CVSS Data

CVSS version used by this source: 2.0

9.3HIGH

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Confidentiality Impact
COMPLETE
Integrity Impact
COMPLETE
Availability Impact
COMPLETE
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
MEDIUM
Authentication
NONE
Exploitability Score
8.6
Impact Score
10.0
CvssVersion
2.0

Exploit Intelligence

EPSS Score
4.21%
Probability of exploitation in next 30 days
EPSS Percentile
89.9%
Percentile rank of EPSS score among Peer Group
As of 2026-07-28
Model: v2026.06.15
This CVE's current EPSS score of 0.0421 is in the 54th percentile among its peer group of 8,920 CVEs.

Social Chatter

No social media mentions found for this CVE.

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.0 Twitter, 0.1 Reddit, 0.1 Bluesky, 0.1 Mastodon, and 0.2 GitHub mentions.

Media Mentions

No media coverage found for this CVE.

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.1 InfoSec Media, 0.0 Vendor Blog, and 0.0 Security Researcher mentions.

Remediation

Patch Available

Vendor Patches (16)

redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 3Fixed in: java-1.4.2-ibm-0:1.4.2.13.3-1jpp.1.el3
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: java-1.6.0-sun-1:1.6.0.17-1jpp.1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: java-1.5.0-sun-0:1.5.0.22-1jpp.1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: java-1.4.2-ibm-0:1.4.2.13.3-1jpp.1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: java-1.5.0-ibm-1:1.5.0.11-1jpp.1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: java-1.6.0-ibm-1:1.6.0.7-1jpp.3.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.6.0-openjdk-1:1.6.0.0-1.7.b09.el5
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Network Satellite Server v 5.1Fixed in: java-1.5.0-sun-0:1.5.0.22-1jpp.1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Network Satellite Server v 5.3Fixed in: java-1.6.0-ibm-1:1.6.0.7-1jpp.3.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: RHEL 4 for SAPFixed in: java-1.4.2-ibm-0:1.4.2.13.2.sap-1jpp.4.el4_8
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: RHEL 5 for SAPFixed in: java-1.4.2-ibm-0:1.4.2.13.2.sap-1jpp.4.el5_3
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.6.0-sun-1:1.6.0.17-1jpp.2.el5
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.5.0-sun-0:1.5.0.22-1jpp.1.el5
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.4.2-ibm-0:1.4.2.13.3-1jpp.1.el5
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.5.0-ibm-1:1.5.0.11-1jpp.1.el5
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: java-1.6.0-ibm-1:1.6.0.7-1jpp.2.el5
View patch

Vendor Advisories (1)

redhatCVE-2009-3873Important

OpenJDK JPEG Image Writer quantization problem (6862968)

Nov 3, 2009

References

java.sun.com / javase/6/webnotes/6u17.html
Vendor Advisory
lists.apple.com / archives/security-announce/2009/Dec/msg00000.html
lists.apple.com / archives/security-announce/2009/Dec/msg00001.html
lists.opensuse.org / opensuse-security-announce/2009-11/msg00010.html
marc.info
marc.info
marc.info
secunia.com / advisories/37231
Vendor Advisory
secunia.com / advisories/37239
secunia.com / advisories/37386
secunia.com / advisories/37581
secunia.com / advisories/37841
security.gentoo.org / glsa/glsa-200911-02.xml
securitytracker.com / id
oval.cisecurity.org / repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11746
oval.cisecurity.org / repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6970
oval.cisecurity.org / repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A8396
oval.cisecurity.org / repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A9602
sunsolve.sun.com / search/document.do
PatchVendor Advisory
support.apple.com / kb/HT3969
support.apple.com / kb/HT3970
mandriva.com / security/advisories
oracle.com / technetwork/topics/security/cpujan2010-084891.html
redhat.com / support/errata/RHSA-2009-1694.html
securityfocus.com / bid/36881
vupen.com / english/advisories/2009/3131
Vendor Advisory