`CVE-2026-21945` Oracle Java SE

Affected software	Oracle Java SE
Affected versions	Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.17, 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16
Severity	7.5 High CVSS 3.1 2 scores
Fixed in	Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2026
Weakness	Uncontrolled resource consumption (CWE-400)
Published	20 Jan 2026
Updated	13 Nov 2026

Description

Vulnerability in the Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition product of Oracle Java SE (component: Security). 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 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 of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM for JDK, Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition. 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 7.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

CWE-295

Exploitation status

No public exploit

No exploit has been reported in the sources we check.

CISA KEV not listed
VulnCheck KEV not listed
CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: none
Indexed PoC none indexed
EPSS 0.99% chance in 30 days

Waratek protection

Outside Waratek scope

A Java vulnerability, but not one Waratek protects. It affects only Java on a user's desktop (applets, Web Start, JavaFX, the installer), sits in a product the Waratek agent can't be installed into, or is in a package we don't expect in business applications. The decision below says which.

Protection none
Action not pursued none
Review human Researcher
Record active

Decided by	A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE
Finding	A researcher set this CVE's status to Outside Waratek scope.

Decided by

A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE

Finding

A researcher set this CVE's status to Outside Waratek scope.

Waratek research note

written 2026-11-13

Written by a Waratek engineer who reviewed this CVE. Their decision sets the status above, ahead of every automated rule except a withdrawal.

https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2026.html

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

7.5 HIGH v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H 2 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

Version Score Band Vector Assigner Type

CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H secalert_us@oracle.com Secondary published

CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H redhat-SADP Secondary

Version	Score	Band	Vector	Assigner	Type
CVSS 3.1	7.5	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`	secalert_us@oracle.com	Secondary	published
CVSS 3.1	7.5	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`	redhat-SADP	Secondary

Affected software and releases

Oracle advisories

Advisory	Type	Quarter	Products Oracle names in its risk matrix
Oracle Critical Patch Update April 2026 ↗	CPU	2026-Q2	Oracle Communications / Oracle Java SE (25.1.201) Oracle Communications / Oracle Java SE (25.1.201)
Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2026 ↗	CPU	2026-Q1	Oracle Java SE / Security (Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.17, 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16) Oracle's 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).

Advisory

Type

Quarter

Products Oracle names in its risk matrix

Oracle Critical Patch Update April 2026 ↗

CPU

2026-Q2

Oracle Communications / Oracle Java SE (25.1.201)
Oracle Communications / Oracle Java SE (25.1.201)

Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2026 ↗

CPU

2026-Q1

Oracle Java SE / Security (Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.17, 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16)
Oracle's 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).

Oracle components and versions

Family	Component	Versions, as Oracle lists them	Read as
Oracle Communications	Oracle Java SE	25.1.201	25.1.201
Oracle Java SE	Security	Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.17, 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16	8.0.471.0 · 8.0.471.50 · 11.0.29.0 · 17.0.17.0 · 21.0.9.0 · 21.3.16.0 · 25.0.1.0

Family

Component

Versions, as Oracle lists them

Read as

Oracle Communications

Oracle Java SE

25.1.201

Oracle Java SE

Security

Oracle Java SE: 8u471, 8u471-b50, 8u471-perf, 11.0.29, 17.0.17, 21.0.9, 25.0.1; Oracle GraalVM for JDK: 17.0.17, 21.0.9; Oracle GraalVM Enterprise Edition: 21.3.16

8.0.471.0 · 8.0.471.50 · 11.0.29.0 · 17.0.17.0 · 21.0.9.0 · 21.3.16.0 · 25.0.1.0

Products and versions

4 products, 15 version entries

Source	Vendor	Product	Scheme	Affected versions
nvd	oracle	graalvm	javase	21.3.16
nvd	oracle	graalvm for jdk	javase	17.0.17 · 21.0.9
nvd	oracle	jdk	javase	1.8.0:update471 · 1.8.0:update471_b50 · 11.0.29 · 17.0.17 · 21.0.9 · 25.0.1
nvd	oracle	jre	javase	1.8.0:update471 · 1.8.0:update471_b50 · 11.0.29 · 17.0.17 · 21.0.9 · 25.0.1

Source

Vendor

Product

Scheme

Affected versions

nvd

oracle

graalvm

javase

21.3.16

nvd

oracle

graalvm for jdk

javase

17.0.17 · 21.0.9

nvd

oracle

jdk

javase

1.8.0:update471 · 1.8.0:update471_b50 · 11.0.29 · 17.0.17 · 21.0.9 · 25.0.1

nvd

oracle

jre

javase

1.8.0:update471 · 1.8.0:update471_b50 · 11.0.29 · 17.0.17 · 21.0.9 · 25.0.1

References

URL	Tags
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0847	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0847
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-21945	REPORT, RHSA-2026:0847
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2429927	REPORT, RHSA-2026:0847
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0927	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0927
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0928	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0928
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0931	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0931
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0932	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0932
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:0933	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:0933
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:4832	ADVISORY, RHSA-2026:4832
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2026.html	Vendor Advisory

URL

Timeline

Published	2026-01-20	By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified	2026-07-15	NVD's own last-modified date for this record.
Classification created	2026-11-13	First commit adding this CVE's research note.
Last VRT activity	2026-11-13	Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.

Published

2026-01-20

By the CVE Program.

NVD record modified

2026-07-15

NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

Classification created

2026-11-13

First commit adding this CVE's research note.

Last VRT activity

2026-11-13

Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.

How VRT decided (4 of 24 rules ran)

4 of 24 rules ran. The rest didn't run because an earlier rule had already settled the CVE.

# Rule Outcome Status Detail

identity: Does this identifier describe a vulnerability at all? the first rule that matches decides

1 rejected no match CVE Program withdrawal of this identifier

scope: Is it a vulnerability Waratek protects? the first rule that matches decides

2 armr-patch-file no match An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE

3 armr-secure-rule-file no match An ARMR security-rule template on disk for this CVE

4 manual-classification decided it matched Outside Waratek scope A researcher set this CVE's status to Outside Waratek scope.

5 manual classification not reached Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset

6 non-java-upstream not reached A root cause in non-Java code: an OS kernel, a C library, or a bundled runtime

7 oracle-component not reached The defect being in a component of a tracked product the agent does not reach: JavaFX, the Java SE installer, the JInitiator browser plug-in, the native WebLogic proxy plug-in, or a native part of Oracle Application Server or Collaboration Suite (HTTP Server, Web Cache, Internet Directory, mail and calendar servers). Oracle gives these no CPE of their own and names them only in the description.

8 java-client-side not reached Oracle's own risk-matrix note saying the CVE is reached only through untrusted code in the Java sandbox (applets, Web Start) or only through a client installation of Java, so a server running its own trusted code is not exposed

9 osv-maven not reached An OSV.dev record of this CVE affecting a package published to Maven Central. When every such package is one business applications do not use (Minecraft mods and launchers, Fastjson) and no tracked product is named by CPE, it settles the CVE as Outside Waratek scope instead

10 cna-maven-package not reached An affected Maven artifact named by the CNA itself

11 known-cpe-product not reached An NVD CPE naming a product ARMR tracks

12 cna-cpe-product not reached A CPE the CNA published naming a tracked product. Oracle publishes these on advisory day, months before NVD.

13 oracle-advisory-family not reached A tracked product family named in Oracle's own risk matrix. CPE cannot carry a suite name, only a module.

14 cna-named-product not reached A tracked product named in words by the CVE's own CNA, on a record with no CPE yet. Apache and Eclipse publish these on advisory day, before NVD adds CPE data.

15 non-deployable-product not reached The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached

16 unmatched-product not reached No tracked product matched above, and none present at all

disposition: What do we do about one that is? every rule runs

17 patch-hint not reached A reference pointing at the upstream fix: a commit, a PR, a Red Hat bug

18 open-source-maven not reached The affected package being open source on Maven, so the fix can be read

19 poc-derivable not reached An indexed exploit clearing the evidence bar to reverse-engineer, where there is no source to read

20 no-exploit not reached Nothing to build a rule from yet: no published exploit, no CISA record of exploitation and no source-level change to read

21 secure-rule-match not reached A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule

22 exploited-no-fix-or-poc not reached Somebody exploiting this CVE (a CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, or a CISA verdict of active exploitation), with no fix, source code or PoC to build a rule from

23 below-action-threshold not reached Medium or Low severity, no CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, no PoC clearing the evidence bar, no CISA verdict, no Oracle advisory

24 no-exploit-published not reached Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all

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