CVE-2016-3720: Jackson dataformat xml Jackson-dataformat-xml Vulnerable To XML External Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-hmq6-frv3-4727
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CVSS 9.8
CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-3720 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) jackson-dataformat-xml vulnerable to xml external vulnerability (CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) affecting Jackson dataformat xml libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves jackson-dataformat-xml vulnerable to xml external entity (xxe). Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.7.4.

CVE-2016-3720 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-3720
GHSA Identifier GHSA-hmq6-frv3-4727
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Affected Product Jackson dataformat xml
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2016-3720

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Jackson dataformat xml dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-xml fixed: 2.7.4 
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackson-dataformat-xml</artifactId>
    <version>2.7.4</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2016-3720, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Jackson dataformat xml in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.7.4), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference, where the product processes an xml document that can contain xml entities with uris that resolve to documents outside of the intended sphere of control, causing the product to embed incorrect documents into its output. In Jackson dataformat xml, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in XmlMapper in the Data format extension for Jackson (aka jackson-dataformat-xml) allows attackers to have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.

CVE-2016-3720 Affected Jackson dataformat xml Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.7.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-xml
maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat/jackson-dataformat-xml
Maven
< 2.7.4
2.7.4

References

NVD — CVE-2016-3720 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3720
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hmq6-frv3-4727
lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-a... WEB
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2016-May/184561.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-3720?
CVE-2016-3720 is a security vulnerability in Jackson dataformat xml involving jackson-dataformat-xml vulnerable to XML external entity (XXE) under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference.
Which Jackson dataformat xml versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.7.4 across affected packages: com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-xml.
What version fixes CVE-2016-3720?
Upgrading to 2.7.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is jackson-dataformat-xml affected?
Yes, com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-xml is affected in releases prior to 2.7.4. Upgrade your dependency to 2.7.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-3720?
CVE-2016-3720 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-3720?
CVE-2016-3720 is classified under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (The product processes an XML document that can contain XML entities with URIs that resolve to documents outside of the intended sphere of control, causing the product to embed incorrect documents into its output.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2016-3720?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-hmq6-frv3-4727",
  "modified" : "2022-09-14T00:10:34Z",
  "published" : "2018-10-18T17:43:16Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-3720" ],
  "summary" : "jackson-dataformat-xml vulnerable to XML external entity (XXE)",
  "details" : "XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in XmlMapper in the Data format extension for Jackson (aka jackson-dataformat-xml) allows attackers to have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-xml"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.7.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3720"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hmq6-frv3-4727"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2016-May/184561.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:40:41Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}