While hundreds of vulnerabilities have been logged, several "Critical" rated CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) highlight the danger of 7u80:
Free public updates for Java 7 ended in 2015; since then, hundreds of vulnerabilities (CVEs) have been discovered that remain unpatched in Update 80. Primary Risks: The most severe risks include Remote Code Execution (RCE)
While 7u80 fixed some bugs present in 7u79, it remains susceptible to major flaws discovered shortly after its release, such as: CVE-2015-2590:
An additional unspecified vulnerability exists in the "Hotspot" component of Java SE 7u80. This flaw allows a remote attacker to affect the integrity of the system via unknown vectors, potentially allowing for the unauthorized modification of data in the Java runtime environment. java 7 update 80 vulnerabilities
Oracle provides non-public patches for Java 7 to customers with paid support contracts.
Disable or completely uninstall the Java browser plugin and Java Web Start handlers from all user workstations.
If your business relies on an application that requires Java 7u80, you must take immediate steps to isolate and secure your infrastructure. Option 1: Upgrade to a Modern Java Version (Recommended) While hundreds of vulnerabilities have been logged, several
Phase 2: Commercial or Extended Support (If Upgrading is Impossible)
This is the most severe risk. Attackers can execute malicious code on a host machine by tricking a user into visiting a compromised website or opening a malicious Java-based file.
If legacy code dependencies make an upgrade impossible in the short term, you must acquire a secure distribution of Java 7. Oracle provides non-public patches for Java 7 to
Remote Code Execution is the most dangerous type of vulnerability. It allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on a server or client machine hosting Java 7u80, often without needing authentication.
The following table highlights example vulnerability profiles that historically targeted or emerged right around the conclusion of Java 7 public support, demonstrating the critical nature of the platform's attack surface: CVE Identifier Component Affected Maximum CVSS Score Exploit Type Java SE Deployment 10.0 (Critical) Remote Code Execution CVE-2015-2590 Java HotSpot VM 10.0 (Critical) Sandbox Escape / RCE CVE-2016-0636 Java SE Component 9.3 (High) Remote Code Execution CVE-2016-3427 JMX Component 9.3 (High) Remote Code Execution Exploit Scenarios: How Threat Actors Target 7u80