XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in the xmlStringLenDecodeEntities function in…
Priority LOW 35CWE-20Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 17 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in the xmlStringLenDecodeEntities function in parser.c in libxml2 before 2.9.4, when not in validating mode, allows context-dependent attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via unspecified vectors.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.01661 76th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 17 fixed, 2 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 12.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 14.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:15.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 15.10 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 16.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:a:xmlsoft:libxml2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 2.9.3 | Vulnerable | xmlsoft |
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 14.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:15.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 16.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:a:xmlsoft:libxml2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 2.9.3 Vulnerable ·xmlsoft
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2016:2957 Released 2016-12-15 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat JBoss Core Services Apache HTTP 2.4.23 Release
- Red Hat JBoss Core Services
- RHSA-2016:1292 Released 2016-06-23 · Red Hat rating Importantlibxml2 security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) libxml2-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-python-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) libxml2-devel-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-static-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) libxml2-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-python-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) libxml2-devel-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-static-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) libxml2-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-python-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) libxml2-devel-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-static-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) libxml2-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-python-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) libxml2-devel-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-static-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) libxml2-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1.ppc, libxml2-devel-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) libxml2-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3.ppc, libxml2-devel-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) libxml2-static-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) libxml2-static-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-static-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) libxml2-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-devel-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1, libxml2-python-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) libxml2-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-devel-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3, libxml2-python-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) libxml2-static-2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) libxml2-static-2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 3 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat JBoss Core Services | Fixed | RHSA-2016:2957 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-4449
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-r3pg-4m7c-9pvw
References
Advisory 13
Other 15
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- https://support.cybozu.com/ja-jp/article/9735
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10170
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html
- [oss-security] 20160525 3 libxml2 issues
- http://xmlsoft.org/news.html
- https://support.apple.com/HT206901
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html
- https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2016-18
- https://support.apple.com/HT206905
- https://support.apple.com/HT206903
- https://support.apple.com/HT206902
- https://support.apple.com/HT206904
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05194709
- https://support.apple.com/HT206899
Sources
- CVE-2016-4449 · CVE Program
- CVE-2016-4449 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r3pg-4m7c-9pvw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2016-4449 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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