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XML External Entity Injection in XStream

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jun 30, 2020 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated May 23, 2025

Package

maven com.thoughtworks.xstream:xstream (Maven)

Affected versions

< 1.4.9

Patched versions

1.4.9

Description

Multiple XML external entity (XXE) vulnerabilities in the (1) Dom4JDriver, (2) DomDriver, (3) JDomDriver, (4) JDom2Driver, (5) SjsxpDriver, (6) StandardStaxDriver, and (7) WstxDriver drivers in XStream before 1.4.9 allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted XML document.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database May 17, 2016
Reviewed Jun 30, 2020
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jun 30, 2020
Last updated May 23, 2025

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(90th percentile)

Weaknesses

Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2016-3674

GHSA ID

GHSA-rgh3-987h-wpmw

Source code

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