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Critical· 9.8actively exploitedofficial fix available

CVE-2012-4681

A flaw in Oracle Java SE 7 Update 6 and earlier lets attackers run any code on a victim’s computer by loading a specially crafted applet. The bug bypasses Java’s security checks, so no user action is needed. It can be fixed by installing the vendor’s update.

publishedAug 28, 2012
last modifiedAug 6, 2026
sourcesNVD · CISA-KEV
severity · cvss
9.8
critical · how bad it is
exploitation · epss
99%
100th percentile · chance of exploitation in 30 days
(ai-assisted) A model wrote this summary from the official data, so double-check it against the source before you act on it. Read the official advisory →
auto-deletes from the system
counting…on Sep 3, 2026

An official fix is available, so this entry is kept for 30 days and then removed automatically.

01

Who is affected

Oracle Java SE 7 Update 6 and earlier, including the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) component and Oracle JDK 1.6.0.

02

Real-world impact

An attacker could run malicious code on the victim’s machine, potentially taking full control, stealing data, or installing malware, all without the user noticing.

03

Why this severity

The CVSS score of 9.8 reflects that the vulnerability allows remote code execution with no authentication or user interaction, and it compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

04

What to do about it

official fix available
recommended steps
  1. 011. Update Oracle Java SE to a version newer than 7u6 following vendor instructions.
  2. 022. Restart any Java applications or the system to ensure the update takes effect.

CISA KEV required action

05

Timeline

  1. Aug 28, 2012 · Aug 28, 2012
    Published
    Disclosed and added to the National Vulnerability Database.
  2. Mar 3, 2022 · Mar 3, 2022
    Confirmed exploited (CISA KEV)
    CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog — attackers are using it in the wild.
  3. Mar 24, 2022 · Mar 24, 2022
    CISA remediation deadline
    Federal agencies are required to remediate by this date.
  4. Aug 4, 2026 · 2d ago
    Official fix available
    A vendor patch or mitigation now exists — see the remediation steps above.
  5. Aug 6, 2026 · 4h ago
    Advisory updated
    The NVD record was last revised.
06

How it’s attacked

Attack vectorNetwork (remote)
Attack complexityLow
Privileges requiredNone
User interactionNone needed
ScopeUnchanged
Confidentiality impactHigh
Integrity impactHigh
Availability impactHigh
07

References & advisories

NVD advisory ↗CISA KEV catalog ↗Search advisories ↗
(ai-assisted) A model wrote this summary from the official data, so double-check it against the source before you act on it. Read the official advisory →
CVE-2012-4681: A flaw in Oracle Java SE 7 Update 6 and earlier lets attackers run any · Vulnary