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Apache CXF StaxUtils lacks XML size limits, enabling DoS

Priority LOW 39CWE-776Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 1 fixed, 6 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

Apache CXF from 4.2.0 before 4.2.4, from 4.0.0 before 4.1.9, and before 3.6.13 is affected. By default, StaxUtils placed no limit on the total number of elements or characters in an XML document, so very large requests consume excessive memory and CPU during parsing. An unauthenticated remote attacker can send such a request to cause a denial of service when no request size limit is configured.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

By default, StaxUtils placed no limit on the total number of elements or the total number of characters in an XML document. A very large request could therefore use a lot of memory and CPU during parsing, especially where CXF builds a DOM from the input (for example SAAJ or WS-Security), and could cause a denial of service when no request size limit was configured. Both limits now have defaults: the maximum element count is 100 × maxChildElements (5,000,000 by default), and the maximum document size is 256M characters. Applications that process larger documents can raise the limits with the org.apache.cxf.stax.maxElementCount and org.apache.cxf.stax.maxXMLCharacters properties. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00458 39th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Apache CXF (Apache Software Foundation): 4.2.4, 4.1.9, 3.6.13Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 1 fixed, 6 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ApacheApache CXF4.2.0 to before 4.2.4; 4.0.0 to before 4.1.9; before 3.6.134.2.4, 4.1.9, 3.6.13Patch availableCNA
  • Apache CXF VendorApache Affected 4.2.0 to before 4.2.4; 4.0.0 to before 4.1.9; before 3.6.13 Fixed in 4.2.4, 4.1.9, 3.6.13 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:apache:cxf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 3.6.13; 4.0.0 to before 4.1.9; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.4VulnerableApache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:cxf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.6.13; 4.0.0 to before 4.1.9; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.4 Vulnerable ·Apache

Remediation

Upgrade Apache CXF to version 4.2.4, 4.1.9 or 3.6.13. Red Hat fixes this in Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 3.33.4.SP3 through advisory RHSA-2026:95622. Red Hat lists Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7 and 8, Red Hat JBoss Web Server 5, Red Hat Single Sign-On 7, Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3 and Red Hat build of Apache Camel for Spring Boot 4 as affected with no fix planned or available.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

  • Fix · CNA Apache CXF (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 4.2.4, 4.1.9, 3.6.13

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2026:95622 Released 2026-11-05 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 4.18 for Quarkus 3.33 update is now available (RHBQ 3.33.4.SP3)
    • Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 3.33.4.SP3 com.google.guava.guava-33.7.2.jre-redhat-00002.jar, io.vertx.vertx-grpc-server-4.5.35.redhat-00001.jar, io.vertx.vertx-web-4.5.35.redhat-00001.jar +4

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

  • Release ·

    Apache CXF 3.6.13, 4.1.9, 4.2.4

    11 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 4 MEDIUM, 7 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2026-69970 Apache CXF: The Netty HTTP client transport does not perform TLS hostname verification.Priority MEDIUM 47
    • TI-2026-69966 Authentication bypass in Apache CXF via weak STS token cache keysPriority MEDIUM 47
    • TI-2026-69961 Apache CXF OIDC max_age check accepts sessions of any agePriority MEDIUM 47

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 8AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat JBoss Web Server 5AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Single Sign-On 7AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat build of Apache Camel for Spring Boot 4AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 3.33.4.SP3Fixed RHSA-2026:95622
Not affected: 3 products
  • Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 3.33.4.SP3
  • Red Hat Fuse 7
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-09 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-108039
  2. 2026-10-09 Alias added: GHSA-v2mw-x6g2-24jf
  3. 2026-10-10 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-10 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-13 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  6. 2026-10-16 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
  7. 2026-10-16 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
  8. 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  9. 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  10. 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  11. 2026-11-06 Fix available: Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 3.33.4.SP3 · Red Hat
  12. 2026-11-06 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95622 · Red Hat

References

  • TI-2019-09264 Incorrect authorization in Apache CXF CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2020-10930 Apache CXF Reflected XSS in the services listing page via the styleSheetPath CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
  • TI-2010-01990 Apache CXF 2.0.x before 2.0.13, 2.1.x before 2.1.10, and 2.2.x before 2.2.9, as used in… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2022-22907 Apache CXF SSRF Vulnerability CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-47481 Apache CXF: Unsafe deserialization of inbound JMS ObjectMessage CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-31053 Apache CXF: Untrusted JMS configuration can lead to RCE CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
See all 79 →

Sources