CVE-2008-1188

CVE-2008-1188 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Sun Jdk with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 12% places it in the 96th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-119.

Key facts

• Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 12% (96th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-119
• Affected product: Sun Jdk
• Published: 2008-03-06
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Multiple buffer overflows in the useEncodingDecl function in Java Web Start in Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 4 and earlier, and 5.0 Update 14 and earlier, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a JNLP file with (1) a long key name in the xml header or (2) a long charset value, different issues than CVE-2008-1189, aka "The first two issues."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-1188?

Multiple buffer overflows in the useEncodingDecl function in Java Web Start in Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 4 and earlier, and 5.0 Update 14 and earlier, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a JNLP file with (1) a long key name in the xml header or (2) a long charset value, different issues than CVE-2008-1189, aka "The first two issues."

How severe is CVE-2008-1188?

CVE-2008-1188 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2008-1188 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 12% (96th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-1188?

CVE-2008-1188 primarily affects Sun Jdk. In total, 38 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-1188?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2008-1188 published?

CVE-2008-1188 was published on 2008-03-06 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce//2008/Sep/msg00008.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-04/msg00000.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-04/msg00010.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29239
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29273
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29498
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29582
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29858
• http://secunia.com/advisories/29897
• http://secunia.com/advisories/30676
• http://secunia.com/advisories/30780
• http://secunia.com/advisories/31497
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32018
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200804-28.xml
• http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-233323-1
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3178
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3179
• http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200804-20.xml
• http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200806-11.xml
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0186.html
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0210.html
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0267.html
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1019549
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA08-066A.html
• http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2008-0010.html
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/0770/references
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/1856/references
• http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-08-009/
• http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-08-010/
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/41029

Affected products (38)

• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update10:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update11:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update12:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update13:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update14:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update5:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update6:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update7:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update8:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.5.0:update9:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.6.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.6.0:update_3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:1.6.0:update_4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update10:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update11:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update12:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update13:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update14:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update5:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update6:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update7:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update8:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.5.0:update9:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.6.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.6.0:update_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.6.0:update_2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.6.0:update_3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.6.0:update_4:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Sun Jdk

• CVE-2013-5824 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and…
• CVE-2013-5817 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, and…
• CVE-2013-5814 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, and…
• CVE-2013-5809 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, and…
• CVE-2013-5789 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and…
• CVE-2013-5787 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and…

All CVEs affecting Sun Jdk →

Other CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2026-2778 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to incorrect boundary conditions in the DOM: Core & HTML component. This vulnerability was fixed in…
• CVE-2026-2776 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to incorrect boundary conditions in the Telemetry component in External Software. This vulnerability…
• CVE-2025-1866 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability in warmcat libwebsockets allows…
• CVE-2022-27625 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability regarding improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer is found in the…
• CVE-2022-27624 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability regarding improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer is found in the…
• CVE-2020-11896 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The Treck TCP/IP stack before 6.0.1.66 allows Remote Code Execution, related to IPv4 tunneling.

Browse all CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities →