CVE-2024-21011 Overview
CVE-2024-21011 is a resource exhaustion vulnerability in the Hotspot component of Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, and Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to cause a partial denial of service (DoS) condition against affected Java deployments. The vulnerability can be exploited through APIs in the Hotspot component, including via web services that supply data to these APIs, as well as through sandboxed Java Web Start applications or Java applets that load untrusted code.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can remotely trigger partial denial of service conditions in Java applications, potentially disrupting availability of enterprise Java deployments and web services.
Affected Products
- Oracle Java SE: 8u401, 8u401-perf, 11.0.22, 17.0.10, 21.0.2, 22
- Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.10, 21.0.2, 22
- Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 20.3.13, 21.3.9
- Oracle JDK and JRE: Multiple versions including 1.8.0_update401, 11.0.22, 17.0.10, 21.0.2, 22.0.1
- NetApp Active IQ Unified Manager (VMware vSphere and Windows)
- NetApp Data Infrastructure Insights Acquisition Unit
- NetApp Data Infrastructure Insights Storage Workload Security Agent
- NetApp OnCommand Insight
- NetApp OnCommand Workflow Automation
- Debian Linux 10.0
Discovery Timeline
- April 16, 2024 - CVE-2024-21011 published to NVD
- May 21, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-21011
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability resides in the Hotspot component, which is the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) implementation responsible for just-in-time (JIT) compilation and runtime execution of Java bytecode. The flaw is classified under CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling), indicating that the Hotspot component fails to properly limit resource consumption under certain conditions.
While exploitation requires high attack complexity, the vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction. An attacker can trigger the condition remotely via network protocols, making it exploitable through any Java application that processes untrusted input through Hotspot APIs. This includes web services, client-side Java applications running in sandboxed environments, and Java applets that load and execute untrusted code from the internet.
The partial DoS impact means that while the vulnerability cannot completely crash the affected service, it can degrade performance and availability, potentially affecting the responsiveness of mission-critical Java applications.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper resource allocation management within the Hotspot JVM component (CWE-770). The vulnerable code path does not implement adequate throttling or limits when processing certain inputs, allowing an attacker to consume excessive system resources. This resource exhaustion manifests when malicious data is processed through the affected APIs, causing the JVM to allocate resources beyond intended boundaries without proper safeguards.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation without authentication. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through multiple protocols by:
- Sending specially crafted requests to web services that utilize the affected Hotspot APIs
- Delivering malicious Java Web Start applications to users running sandboxed Java clients
- Deploying malicious Java applets that execute untrusted code within the Java sandbox
- Targeting any network-accessible Java application that processes external input through the vulnerable component
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, though the high attack complexity means successful exploitation requires specific conditions or precise timing.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-21011
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual resource consumption spikes in Java processes, particularly memory allocation patterns
- Degraded application performance or response times in Java-based web services
- Hotspot JVM garbage collection anomalies or excessive GC pause times
- Network traffic patterns showing repeated API calls from untrusted sources
- Application logs indicating resource exhaustion warnings or out-of-memory conditions
Detection Strategies
- Monitor JVM metrics including heap usage, thread counts, and GC frequency for abnormal patterns
- Implement application performance monitoring (APM) to detect service degradation in Java applications
- Deploy network intrusion detection systems to identify suspicious traffic patterns targeting Java services
- Configure logging for Java applications to capture resource allocation events and API access patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose GC logging to track memory allocation behavior in production JVMs
- Set up alerts for JVM resource consumption thresholds exceeding normal operational baselines
- Monitor network connections to Java services for unusual request patterns or volumes
- Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions for Java environments
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-21011
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Oracle Java SE to the latest patched version released in the April 2024 Critical Patch Update
- Upgrade Oracle GraalVM for JDK and GraalVM Enterprise Edition to patched versions
- Review and restrict network access to Java-based services from untrusted sources
- Disable Java Web Start and Java applets if not required for business operations
Patch Information
Oracle has released security patches addressing this vulnerability in the April 2024 Critical Patch Update. Organizations should upgrade to the following minimum versions:
- Oracle Java SE: Update to versions newer than 8u401, 11.0.22, 17.0.10, 21.0.2, or 22
- Oracle GraalVM for JDK: Update to versions newer than 17.0.10, 21.0.2, or 22
- Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: Update to versions newer than 20.3.13 or 21.3.9
For third-party products, refer to vendor-specific advisories:
Workarounds
- Implement network-level controls to restrict access to Java services from untrusted networks
- Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) to filter potentially malicious requests to Java-based web services
- Disable sandboxed Java execution environments (Web Start, applets) if not business-critical
- Implement resource limits and quotas at the container or operating system level for Java processes
# Example: Configure JVM resource limits
# Set maximum heap size to limit memory consumption
java -Xmx2g -Xms512m -jar application.jar
# Enable GC logging for monitoring resource allocation
java -Xlog:gc*:file=/var/log/java/gc.log:time,uptime:filecount=5,filesize=10M -jar application.jar
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
