AssertJ has XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability when parsing untrusted XML via isXmlEqualTo assertion
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · Low
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 11 fixed, 10 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat.
Summary
AssertJ provides Fluent testing assertions for Java and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Starting in version 1.4.0 and prior to version 3.27.7, an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in `org.assertj.core.util.xml.XmlStringPrettyFormatter`: the `toXmlDocument(String)` method initializes `DocumentBuilderFactory` with default settings, without disabling DTDs or external entities. This formatter is used by the `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` assertion for `CharSequence` values. An application is vulnerable only when it uses untrusted XML input with either `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` from `org.assertj.core.api.AbstractCharSequenceAssert` or `xmlPrettyFormat(String)` from `org.assertj.core.util.xml.XmlStringPrettyFormatter`. If untrusted XML input is processed by tone of these methods, an attacker couldnread arbitrary local files via `file://` URIs (e.g., `/etc/passwd`, application configuration files); perform Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) via HTTP/HTTPS URIs, and/or cause Denial of Service via "Billion Laughs" entity expansion attacks. `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` has been deprecated in favor of XMLUnit in version 3.18.0 and will be removed in version 4.0. Users of affected versions should, in order of preference: replace `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` with XMLUnit, upgrade to version 3.27.7, or avoid using `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` or `XmlStringPrettyFormatter` with untrusted input. `XmlStringPrettyFormatter` has historically been considered a utility for `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` rather than a feature for AssertJ users, so it is deprecated in version 3.27.7 and removed in version 4.0, with no replacement.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| assertj | assertj | 1.4.0 to before 3.27.7 | 3.27.7 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.assertj:assertj-core (Maven) | 1.4.0 to before 3.27.7 | 3.27.7 | Patch available | GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r |
- assertj Vendorassertj Affected 1.4.0 to before 3.27.7 Fixed in 3.27.7 Patch available CNA
- org.assertj:assertj-core (Maven) Vendor— Affected 1.4.0 to before 3.27.7 Fixed in 3.27.7 Patch available GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r
Remediation
- Fix · CNA assertj (assertj) Fixed in 3.27.7
- Fix · GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r org.assertj:assertj-core (Maven) Fixed in 3.27.7 Advisory →
Red Hat 9 advisories
- RHSA-2026:69459 Released 2026-09-21 · Red Hat rating ImportantAMQ Clients 2026.Q3
- AMQ Clients 2026.Q3
- RHSA-2026:69106 Released 2026-09-21 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 10.0) assertj-core-3.24.2-9.el10_0.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v. 10.0) assertj-core-javadoc-3.24.2-9.el10_0.1
- RHSA-2026:60215 Released 2026-08-26 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) assertj-core-3.19.0-9.el9_8.1
Show 6 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2026:59372 Released 2026-08-25 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) assertj-core-3.24.2-9.el10_2.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) assertj-core-javadoc-3.24.2-9.el10_2.1
- RHSA-2026:58957 Released 2026-08-24 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.4) assertj-core-3.19.0-5.el9_4.2
- RHSA-2026:58949 Released 2026-08-24 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.6) assertj-core-3.19.0-9.el9_6.1
- RHSA-2026:58956 Released 2026-08-24 · Red Hat rating Moderateassertj-core security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.2) assertj-core-3.19.0-5.el9_2.2
- RHSA-2026:37390 Released 2026-07-09 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Build of Apache Camel 4.18.1.P1 for Spring Boot release.
- Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.18.1.P1 for Spring Boot 3.5.16
- RHSA-2026:25089 Released 2026-06-10 · Red Hat rating ImportantHawtIO 4.4.0 for Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 Release and security update.
- HawtIO HawtIO 4.4.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| OpenShift Serverless | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Fuse 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 8 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Process Automation 7 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat build of Debezium 2 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat build of Debezium 3 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat build of OptaPlanner 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| streams for Apache Kafka 3 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| AMQ Clients 2026.Q3 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:69459 |
| HawtIO HawtIO 4.4.0 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:25089 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:59372 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:60215 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:58956 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:58957 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 10.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:69106 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:58949 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:59372 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v. 10.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:69106 |
| Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.18.1.P1 for Spring Boot 3.5.16 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:37390 |
Not affected: 14 products
- Red Hat AMQ Broker 7
- Red Hat Data Grid 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7
- Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack
- Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)
- Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces
- Red Hat Single Sign-On 7
- Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3
- Red Hat build of Apicurio Registry 3
- streams for Apache Kafka 2
- streams for Apache Kafka 3
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-24400
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r
- 2026-10-13 Fix available: HawtIO HawtIO 4.4.0 · Red Hat
- 2026-10-14 Fix available: RHSA-2026:25089 · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Advisory 2
Sources
- CVE-2026-24400 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-24400 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-24400 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences