CVE-2026-21932
Published: 20 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-21932 is a high-severity an unspecified weakness vulnerability in Oracle Jdk. Its CVSS base score is 7.4 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked at the 17.7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SC-18 (Mobile Code).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-21932 is a vulnerability in the AWT and JavaFX components of Oracle Java SE (versions 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1), Oracle GraalVM for JDK (versions 17.0.17, 21.0.9), and Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition (version 21.3.16). Published on January 20, 2026, it carries a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.4 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N), indicating high integrity impact with changed scope but no confidentiality or availability effects. The issue is classified under NVD-CWE-noinfo.
An unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols can exploit this vulnerability easily, but successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Exploitation targets client-side Java deployments, such as sandboxed Java Web Start applications or Java applets that load and run untrusted code from the internet while relying on the Java sandbox for security. It does not affect server-side deployments that load only trusted code. Successful attacks enable unauthorized creation, deletion, or modification of critical data or all data accessible to the affected Oracle Java SE, GraalVM for JDK, or GraalVM Enterprise Edition products, with potential significant impact on additional products due to scope change.
For mitigation details, including available patches, refer to the Oracle Critical Patch Update advisory for January 2026 at https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2026.html.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-3577
Vulnerability details
Vulnerability in the Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition product of Oracle Java SE (component: AWT, JavaFX). Supported versions that are affected are Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM…
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for JDK: 17.0.17 and 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition, attacks may significantly impact additional products (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition accessible data. Note: This vulnerability applies to Java deployments, typically in clients running sandboxed Java Web Start applications or sandboxed Java applets, that load and run untrusted code (e.g., code that comes from the internet) and rely on the Java sandbox for security. This vulnerability does not apply to Java deployments, typically in servers, that load and run only trusted code (e.g., code installed by an administrator). CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.4 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N).
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Sandbox bypass in client-side Java (applets/Web Start) directly enables client application exploitation (T1203) leading to unauthorized data modification (T1565.001).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly restricts execution of mobile code (Java applets/Web Start) from untrusted network sources that the CVE explicitly targets via the Java sandbox.
Enforces the sandbox access control policy that is bypassed to allow unauthorized data modification in client-side Java deployments.
Requires timely application of vendor patches that remediate this specific AWT/JavaFX flaw in affected Java SE/GraalVM versions.