XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability
A vulnerability in XML processing in Apache Jena, in versions up to 4.1.0, may allow an attacker to execute XML External Entities (XXE), including exposing the contents of local files to a remote server.
- Published
- Sep 16, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.3% · 91th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-611
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Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.3%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apache | jena | cpe:2.3:a:apache:jena |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apache jenaup to 4.1.0 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Apache Software Foundation Apache Jena
- unspecified and later · before 4.1.0affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | apache-jena | before 4.5.0-1 | 4.5.0-1 |
| Maven | org.apache.jena:jena-core | before 4.2.0 | 4.2.0 |
Same product
apache: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2022-28890Processing external DTDs40Plan
- CVE-2025-50151Apache Jena: Configuration files uploaded by administrative users are not check properly35Monitor
- CVE-2023-32200Apache Jena: Exposure of execution in script engine expressions.35Monitor
- CVE-2025-49656Apache Jena: Administrative users can create files outside the server directory space via the admin UI30Monitor
- CVE-2023-22665Apache Jena: Exposure of arbitrary execution in script engine expressions.21Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:apache-jena | 4.5.0-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Maven:org.apache.jena:jena-core | 4.2.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-611 · Improper Restriction of XML External Entity ReferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/r0f03ae7e102c3e8587fdd36531fc167309335738156dfbd7d9c1bf45%40%3Cdev.jena.apache.org%3E
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rce5241b228a1f0e5880f6b2bfdb7ae9ee420e94cb692738a0bbfed9d%40%3Cdev.jena.apache.org%3E
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf44d529c54ef1d0097e813f576a0823a727e1669a9f610d3221d493d%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf44d529c54ef1d0097e813f576a0823a727e1669a9f610d3221d493d%40%3Cusers.jena.apache.org%3E
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.