CVE-2023-42346: Opencms core Alkacon OpenCms Is Vulnerable To Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-pj6p-9p8x-5mfc
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-42346 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) alkacon opencms is vulnerable to vulnerability (CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) affecting Opencms core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves alkacon opencms is vulnerable to xxe when the <!doctype> refers to an external host. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 16.0.

CVE-2023-42346 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-42346
GHSA Identifier GHSA-pj6p-9p8x-5mfc
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Affected Product Opencms core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

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:N/A:N).

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 None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2023-42346

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

org.opencms:opencms-core fixed: 16.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.opencms</groupId>
    <artifactId>opencms-core</artifactId>
    <version>16.0</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=org.opencms

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-42346, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Opencms core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 16.0), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms 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 Opencms core, 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

Alkacon OpenCms before 16 allows XXE when the <!DOCTYPE> refers to an external host.

CVE-2023-42346 Affected Opencms core Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
16.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.opencms:opencms-core
maven/org.opencms/opencms-core
Maven
< 16.0
16.0

References

NVD — CVE-2023-42346 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-42346
Opencms core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core
labs.watchtowr.com/xxe-you-can-depend-... WEB
https://labs.watchtowr.com/xxe-you-can-depend-on-me-opencms

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-42346?
CVE-2023-42346 is a security vulnerability in Opencms core involving Alkacon OpenCms is vulnerable to XXE when the <!DOCTYPE> refers to an external host under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference.
Which Opencms core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 16.0 across affected packages: org.opencms:opencms-core.
What version fixes CVE-2023-42346?
Upgrading to 16.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is opencms-core affected?
Yes, org.opencms:opencms-core is affected in releases prior to 16.0. Upgrade your dependency to 16.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-42346?
CVE-2023-42346 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-42346?
CVE-2023-42346 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-2023-42346?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms'. 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-pj6p-9p8x-5mfc",
  "modified" : "2026-05-14T13:05:03Z",
  "published" : "2026-05-08T06:32:37Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-42346" ],
  "summary" : "Alkacon OpenCms is vulnerable to XXE when the <!DOCTYPE> refers to an external host",
  "details" : "Alkacon OpenCms before 16 allows XXE when the <!DOCTYPE> refers to an external host.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.opencms:opencms-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "16.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-42346"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://labs.watchtowr.com/xxe-you-can-depend-on-me-opencms"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-05-14T13:05:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-05-08T05:16:09Z"
  }
}