FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.2_09"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_09-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2_09-b05, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux ******* 2.4.20-46.7.legacysmp #1 SMP Sat Mar 4 14:58:59 EST 2006 i686 unknown

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Attempt to serialize an object with an instance of java.util.AbstractList$Itr reachable from it results in a java.io.NotSerializableException

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
new ObjectOutputStream(new ByteArrayOutputStream()).writeObject(new ArrayList().iterator());

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
silently succeed

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.io.NotSerializableException: java.util.AbstractList$Itr

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class Test
{
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
    {
        new ObjectOutputStream(new ByteArrayOutputStream()).writeObject(new ArrayList().iterator());
    }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Store the list and an index instead of the iterator. This workaround doesn't work well with sequentially accessible lists, and breaks down completely with nonlist collections though.