CVE-2008-5353

CVE-2008-5353 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Sun Jdk with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 10.0. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 85% places it in the 100th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

• Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 10.0)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 85% (100th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Affected product: Sun Jdk
• Published: 2008-12-05
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 10 and earlier; JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 16 and earlier; and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_18 and earlier does not properly enforce context of ZoneInfo objects during deserialization, which allows remote attackers to run untrusted applets and applications in a privileged context, as demonstrated by "deserializing Calendar objects".

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-5353?

The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Sun JDK and JRE 6 Update 10 and earlier; JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 16 and earlier; and SDK and JRE 1.4.2_18 and earlier does not properly enforce context of ZoneInfo objects during deserialization, which allows remote attackers to run untrusted applets and applications in a privileged context, as demonstrated by "deserializing Calendar objects".

How severe is CVE-2008-5353?

CVE-2008-5353 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 10.0, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2008-5353 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 85% (100th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-5353?

CVE-2008-5353 primarily affects Sun Jdk. In total, 91 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-5353?

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-2008-5353 published?

CVE-2008-5353 was published on 2008-12-05 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://blog.cr0.org/2009/05/write-once-own-everyone.html
• http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/code/macosx/CVE-2008-5353.20090519.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-01/msg00009.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-03/msg00001.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-04/msg00004.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-05/msg00000.html
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=123678756409861&w=2
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=126583436323697&w=2
• http://osvdb.org/50500
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2008-1018.html
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2008-1025.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32991
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33015
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33528
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33709
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33710
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34233
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34259
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34605
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34889
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34972
• http://secunia.com/advisories/35065
• http://secunia.com/advisories/35118
• http://secunia.com/advisories/37386
• http://secunia.com/advisories/38539
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200911-02.xml
• http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-244991-1
• http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2009-012.htm
• http://support.nortel.com/go/main.jsp?cscat=BLTNDETAIL&DocumentOID=829914&poid=
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-0015.html

Affected products (91)

• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:*:update_16:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:*:update_10:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_10:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_11:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_12:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_13:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_14:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_15:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_5:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_6:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_7:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_8:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:5.0:update_9:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_5:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_6:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_7:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_8:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jdk:6:update_9:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:*:update_16:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:*:update_10:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:sun:jre:1.4.2_10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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