The xmlBufAttrSerializeTxtContent function in xmlsave.c in libxml2 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-b
The xmlBufAttrSerializeTxtContent function in xmlsave.c in libxml2 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a non-UTF-8 attribute value, related to serialization. NOTE: this vulnerability may be a duplicate of CVE-2016-3627.
- Published
- Apr 11, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 6.2% · 93th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-502
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Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 6.2%
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; 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 helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| xmlsoft | libxml2 | cpe:2.3:a:xmlsoft:libxml2 |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| oracle | solaris | cpe:2.3:o:oracle:solaris |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- debian debian linux8.0
- oracle solaris11.3
- xmlsoft libxml2before 2.9.4
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | libxml2 | before 2.9.3+dfsg1-1.1 | 2.9.3+dfsg1-1.1 |
| Debian:7 | libxml2 | before 2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy6 | 2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy6 |
| Debian:8 | libxml2 | before 2.9.1+dfsg1-5+deb8u2 | 2.9.1+dfsg1-5+deb8u2 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | python-libxml2 | before 2.9.4-1.4 | 2.9.4-1.4 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | libxml2 | before 2.9.1-24.1 | 2.9.1-24.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | python-libxml2 | before 2.9.1-24.1 | 2.9.1-24.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | libxml2 | before 2.7.6-0.44.1 | 2.7.6-0.44.1 |
| SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 5 | libxml2-python | before 2.7.6-0.44.4 | 2.7.6-0.44.4 |
Same product
xmlsoft: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2008-3529Heap-based buffer overflow in the xmlParseAttValueComplex function in parser.c in libxml2 before 2.7.0 allows context-dependent attackers to47Plan
- CVE-2017-7376Buffer overflow in libxml2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging an incorrect limit for port values when handling 46Plan
- CVE-2022-40303An issue was discovered in libxml2 before 2.10.3.42Plan
- CVE-2021-3518There's a flaw in libxml2 in versions before 2.9.11.42Plan
- CVE-2011-1944Integer overflow in xpath.c in libxml2 2.6.x through 2.6.32 and 2.7.x through 2.7.8, and libxml 1.8.16 and earlier, allows context-dependent41Plan
- CVE-2017-7375A flaw in libxml2 allows remote XML entity inclusion with default parser flags (i.e., when the caller did not request entity substitution, D40Plan
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:libxml2 | 2.9.3+dfsg1-1.1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:python-libxml2 | 2.9.4-1.4 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:libxml2 | 2.9.1-24.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:libxml2-python | 2.7.6-0.44.4 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:python-libxml2 | 2.9.1-24.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | 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.
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
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-502 · Deserialization of Untrusted DataCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Root cause
Data received over the network is deserialized into the language’s native object format without verifying its source. Code paths inside the object can be triggered during deserialization.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-502 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
payload = sock.recv(65536)job = pickle.loads(payload)Fixed
payload = sock.recv(65536)if not hmac.compare_digest(sign(payload), header_sig): raise PermissionError("invalid signature")job = JobSchema.validate(json.loads(payload))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
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2957.html
- www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3593
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/04/7
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/06/07/4
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/06/07/5
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/90013
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1036348
- git.gnome.org/browse/libxml2/commit/?id=c97750d11bb8b6f3303e7131fe526a61ac65bcfd
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-37
- www.tenable.com/security/tns-2016-18
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.