CVE-2015-4852
CRITICALCVE-2015-4852 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in oracle storagetek tape analytics sw tool. 15 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2015-4852 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.
The WLS Security component in Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.6.0, 12.1.2.0, 12.1.3.0, and 12.2.1.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted serialized Java object…
Exploitation Status
Actively exploited in the wild
- CISA’s SSVC triage classifies this CVE as under active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2015-4852.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2015-4852 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE sits: patch-first territory.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 0 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Description
The WLS Security component in Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.6.0, 12.1.2.0, 12.1.3.0, and 12.2.1.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted serialized Java object in T3 protocol traffic to TCP port 7001, related to oracle_common/modules/com.bea.core.apache.commons.collections.jar. NOTE: the scope of this CVE is limited to the WebLogic Server product.
Affected Products
storagetek tape analytics sw tooloraclevirtual desktop infrastructureoracleweblogic serveroracleResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Oracle Weblogic Server Deserialization RCE - Raw Object (Metasploit)
by Metasploit · Mar 28, 2019
Websphere/JBoss/OpenNMS/Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager - Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution
by Nikhil Sreekumar · Jul 20, 2016
Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.6.0 - Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution
by SlidingWindow · Sep 27, 2017
Detection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every oracle storagetek tape analytics sw tool deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for remote code execution at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Remediation status
No patch has shipped for CVE-2015-4852 yet — track the oracle storagetek tape analytics sw tool advisory for a fixed release and apply the workarounds below in the meantime.
Mitigate without a patch
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2015-4852 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2015-4852. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2015-4852 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2015-4852 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.