CVE-2022-0239CWE-611

Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in stanfordnlp/corenlp

Medium · published January 17, 2022

CVSS v3.0
4.7
EPSS
1%
Percentile
68.4
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A crafty XML file can lead to unintended consequences! The CoreNLP library is susceptible to improper restrictions of external entity references — like letting an overzealous librarian borrow books from any library without checking IDs. 📚 Imagine a library where a mischievous patron can request any book from any library without oversight. This vulnerability operates similarly, letting an attacker leverage external XML entities to access sensitive data or even trigger unintended actions on your server. An attacker could retrieve files from the server or potentially trigger other unintended behaviors, leaving your application vulnerable to information theft or manipulation. While it’s not a full-blown crisis, this medium-severity issue could reveal sensitive information like configuration files or credentials.

Put simply

Imagine a library where a mischievous patron can request any book from any library without oversight. This vulnerability operates similarly, letting an attacker leverage external XML entities to access sensitive data or even trigger unintended actions on your server. This vulnerability allows an attacker to manipulate XML data to access external entities, potentially revealing sensitive files or executing unintended commands, due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) references in CoreNLP.

What to do

An attacker could retrieve files from the server or potentially trigger other unintended behaviors, leaving your application vulnerable to information theft or manipulation. While it’s not a full-blown crisis, this medium-severity issue could reveal sensitive information like configuration files or credentials. To mitigate this risk, update CoreNLP to the latest version that addresses this issue. Implement strict input validation for XML data and disable the ability to resolve external entities in your XML parsers. Regularly audit your XML handling practices to ensure compliance with security best practices. You've got this! By taking these steps, you'll secure your application and keep your data safe. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.0
4.7 · MEDIUM
Vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01217 · 68.4th percentile
Weakness
CWE-611 · Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Published
2022-01-17T06:15Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 17 JAN 06:15Z
    Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in stanfordnlp/corenlp
    cvelistv5