CVE-2012-5076
CVE-2012-5076 is a security flaw in Oracle Java SE, which runs apps on computers and servers. Attackers are using a flaw in Oracle Java SE that its maker hasn't described in detail. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 28 Mar 2022.[1]
Oracle Java SE is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work.
Description
CISA calls it a sandbox bypass in Oracle Java SE. In its words: “The default Java security properties configuration did not restrict access to the com.sun.org.glassfish.external and com.sun.org.glassfish.gmbal packages. An untrusted Java application or applet could use these flaws to bypass Java sandbox restrictions.”[1]
The underlying weakness is improper access control (CWE-284), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as Oracle Java SE.
Every device with Oracle Java SE needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 28 Mar 2022, 3,450 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 18 Apr 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 91%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[3]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Update Oracle Java SE now.Install the latest update from Oracle on every device that has it, and restart when asked. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 91%.[3] |
See also
Other Oracle Java SE flaws
- CVE-2013-2465: unspecified ·
- CVE-2015-4902: integrity check ·
- CVE-2015-2590: and java SE embedded remote code execution ·
- CVE-2012-4681: runtime environment (JRE) arbitrary code execution ·
- CVE-2012-1723: runtime environment (JRE) arbitrary code execution ·
- CVE-2012-0507: runtime environment (JRE) arbitrary code execution ·
Other Oracle flaws
- CVE-2026-21962, Oracle HTTP Server and Oracle Weblogic Server Proxy Plug-in: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-46817, Oracle E-Business Suite: improper privilege management ·
- CVE-2026-35273, Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2024-21182, Oracle WebLogic Server: unspecified ·
- CVE-2025-61757, Oracle Fusion Middleware: missing authentication for critical function ·
Other improper access control flaws
- CVE-2015-3306, ProFTPD: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-56290, Joomlack Page Builder: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-34908, Ubiquiti UniFi OS: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-48907, Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-35616, Fortinet FortiClient EMS: improper access control ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-1096, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·
- CVE-2022-0543, Redis Debian-specific Redis Servers: debian-specific redis server lua sandbox escape ·
- CVE-2021-38646, Microsoft Office: access connectivity engine remote code execution ·
- CVE-2021-34486, Microsoft Windows: event tracing privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-26085, Atlassian Confluence Server: pre-authorization arbitrary file read ·
Every Oracle flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Oracle Java SE Sandbox Bypass Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 28 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2012-5076 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 16 Oct 2012.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.912, percentile 99.8, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2012-5076”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.