XML external entity injection in Apache Sling
Priority MEDIUM 48CWE-611Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
In the XSS Protection API module before 1.0.12 in Apache Sling, the method XSS.getValidXML() uses an insecure SAX parser to validate the input string, which allows for XXE attacks in all scripts which use this method to validate user input, potentially allowing an attacker to read sensitive data on the filesystem, perform same-site-request-forgery (SSRF), port-scanning behind the firewall or DoS the application.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.03669 89th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Apache Sling (Apache Software Foundation): 1.0.12org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss (Maven): 1.0.12+1 more product
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Sling | before 1.0.12 | 1.0.12 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss (Maven) | before 1.0.12 | 1.0.12 | Patch available | GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w |
| — | org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss.compat (Maven) | before 1.1.0 | 1.1.0 | Patch available | GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w |
- Apache Sling VendorApache Affected before 1.0.12 Fixed in 1.0.12 Patch available CNA
- org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 1.0.12 Fixed in 1.0.12 Patch available GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w
- org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss.compat (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 1.1.0 Fixed in 1.1.0 Patch available GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Apache Sling (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 1.0.12
- Fix · GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss (Maven) Fixed in 1.0.12 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.xss.compat (Maven) Fixed in 1.1.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-6798
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w
References
Other 4
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/b72c3a511592ec70729b3ec2d29302b6ce87bbeab62d4745617a6bd0%40%3Cdev.sling.apache.org%3E
- https://github.com/apache/sling-org-apache-sling-xss/commit/de32b144ad2be3367559f6184d560db42a220529
- https://github.com/jensdietrich/xshady-release/tree/main/CVE-2016-6798
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/b72c3a511592ec70729b3ec2d29302b6ce87bbeab62d4745617a6bd0@%3Cdev.sling.apache.org%3E
More Apache Sling vulnerabilities
- TI-2016-00864 The Servlets Post component 2.3.6 in Apache Sling, as used in Adobe Experience Manager… CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2016-04672 Cross-site scripting in Apache Sling CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2013-03847 Open redirect vulnerability in the AbstractAuthenticationFormServlet in the Auth Core… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 5.8
Sources
- CVE-2016-6798 · CVE Program
- CVE-2016-6798 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7g54-vgp6-jj5w · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences