CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2021-40690 — Apache Santuario Xml Security For Java security vulnerability

High CVSS 7.5

All versions of Apache Santuario - XML Security for Java prior to 2.2.3 and 2.1.7 are vulnerable to an issue where the "secureValidation" property is not passed correctly when creating a KeyInfo from a KeyInfoReference element. This allows an attacker to abuse an XPath Transform to extract any local .xml files in a RetrievalMethod element.

Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Published
2021-09-19
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
java/maven
Weaknesses
CWE-200

Affected products

  • apache / santuario_xml_security_for_java
  • apache / cxf / 3.4.4
  • apache / tomee
  • debian / debian_linux / 9.0
  • debian / debian_linux / 10.0
  • debian / debian_linux / 11.0

Showing 6 representative product identities from 34 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Information disclosure and sensitive data exposure

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Trace sensitive data through responses, errors, logs, metrics, traces, caches, exports, files, backups, and client bundles.
  • Identify affected subjects, tenants, retention windows, access controls, and downstream copies without opening unnecessary sensitive records.
  • Review metadata, timing, status, length, and existence signals as well as direct content disclosure.

Remediate safely

  • Minimize collection and output, apply field-level authorization and redaction at a centralized boundary, and return generic external errors.
  • Remove secrets and sensitive data from logs, artifacts, URLs, caches, and client-side bundles; rotate credentials that may have been exposed.
  • Update the affected component and add synthetic-data tests for response, error, observability, and export paths.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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