CVE-2013-1488

Oracle JDK and JRE - Remote Code Execution via Reflection and JDBC Driver Manager

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 3 public exploits for CVE-2013-1488. PoCs published by Metasploit, v-p-b, James Forshaw, juan vazquez, including Metasploit module exploits/multi/browser/java_jre17_driver_manager.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2013-1488, a vulnerability in Java's DriverManager class where the toString() method is called on user-supplied classes within a doPrivileged block, leading to remote code execution. It bypasses click-to-play on Internet Explorer via a crafted JNLP file and targets Java 7u17 and earlier.

Description

The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) component in Oracle Java SE 7 Update 17 and earlier, and OpenJDK 6 and 7, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors involving reflection, Libraries, "improper toString calls," and the JDBC driver manager, as demonstrated by James Forshaw during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2013.

Exploits (3)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Metasploit · rubyremotemultiple
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/26135

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2013-1488, a vulnerability in Java's DriverManager class where the toString() method is called on user-supplied classes within a doPrivileged block, leading to remote code execution. It bypasses click-to-play on Internet Explorer via a crafted JNLP file and targets Java 7u17 and earlier.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 7u17 and earlier
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target must have a vulnerable JRE version installed · Target must visit a malicious webpage or open a crafted JNLP file
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 5 stars
by v-p-b · poc
https://github.com/v-p-b/buherablog-cve-2013-1488

This is a working PoC exploit for CVE-2013-1488, a Java vulnerability that bypasses the security manager to execute arbitrary code. It leverages the ServiceLoader and ScriptEngine to achieve remote code execution by disabling the security manager and executing a command (calc.exe).

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) before 7u21
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target must be running a vulnerable JRE version (before 7u21) · Attacker must be able to deliver the malicious applet to the target
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by James Forshaw, juan vazquez · rubypocwin
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/multi/browser/java_jre17_driver_manager.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2013-1488 in Java 7u17 and earlier by abusing the java.sql.DriverManager class's toString() method in a doPrivileged block, achieving remote code execution via a crafted JNLP file and bypassing click-to-play on Internet Explorer.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 7u17 and earlier
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Victim must visit a malicious webpage or open a malicious JNLP file · Java 7u17 or earlier must be installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (22)

Core 22
Core References
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0757.html
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0752.html
Various Sources x_refsource_misc
https://twitter.com/thezdi/status/309425888188043264
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16511
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_gentoo
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201406-32.xml
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mandriva
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:145
US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert
http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-107A
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_confirm
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Support/Advisories/MGASA-2013-0130
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_confirm
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Support/Advisories/MGASA-2013-0124
Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-05/msg00017.html
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mandriva
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:161
Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-06/msg00099.html
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1806-1
Issue Tracking x_refsource_misc
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=920247

Scores

EPSS 0.8696
EPSS Percentile 99.7%

Details

CWE
CWE-94
Status published
Products (2)
oracle/jdk 1.7.0 update17
oracle/jre 1.7.0 update17
Published Mar 08, 2013
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026