CVE intelligence and bounded remediation
CVE-2016-6798 — Apache Sling security vulnerability
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.
- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.0)
- Published
- 2017-07-19
- CISA KEV
- Not currently listed
- Ecosystem
- software/application
- Weaknesses
- CWE-611
Affected products
- apache / sling
Matched remediation archetype
XML external entity and unsafe XML processing
This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.
Check exposure
- Inventory XML parsers used by APIs, file imports, office or image formats, identity protocols, feeds, and background jobs.
- Determine whether document type declarations, external entities, XInclude, schemas, or network resolvers are enabled.
- Map parser filesystem and network access and the sensitivity of documents it processes.
Remediate safely
- Configure each parser to reject document type declarations and disable external entity, XInclude, and network resolution features.
- Prefer a data format or hardened parser that does not support external resolution, and apply input size and depth limits.
- Update affected XML libraries and centralize secure parser construction so callers cannot silently override it.
Authoritative sources
Complete CVE record and remediation plan
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