CVE-2018-14720: Jackson databind XML External Entity Reference (XXE) Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-x2w5-5m2g-7h5m
Share
CVSS 9.8
CWE-502 CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2018-14720 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) xml external entity reference (xxe) vulnerability (CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data) affecting Jackson databind libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves xml external entity reference (xxe) in jackson-databind. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.9.7, 2.8.11.3, 2.7.9.5.

CVE-2018-14720 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2018-14720
GHSA Identifier GHSA-x2w5-5m2g-7h5m
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Affected Product Jackson databind
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:3.0/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-2018-14720

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Jackson databind 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.core:jackson-databind fixed: 2.9.7 
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.core</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackson-databind</artifactId>
    <version>2.9.7</version>
</dependency>
com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind fixed: 2.8.11.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.core</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackson-databind</artifactId>
    <version>2.8.11.3</version>
</dependency>
com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind fixed: 2.7.9.5 
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.core</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackson-databind</artifactId>
    <version>2.7.9.5</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.core

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2018-14720, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

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

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Jackson databind in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.9.7), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.core 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-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data, where the product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid. In Jackson databind, 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

FasterXML jackson-databind 2.x before 2.9.7 might allow attackers to conduct external XML entity (XXE) attacks by leveraging failure to block unspecified JDK classes from polymorphic deserialization.

CVE-2018-14720 Affected Jackson databind Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.9.72.8.11.32.7.9.5
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core/jackson-databind
Maven
≥ 2.9.0
< 2.9.7
2.9.7
com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core/jackson-databind
Maven
≥ 2.8.0
< 2.8.11.3
2.8.11.3
com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core/jackson-databind
Maven
≥ 2.7.0
< 2.7.9.5
2.7.9.5

References

NVD — CVE-2018-14720 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14720
Jackson databind Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-databind/issues/2097
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-databind/commit/87d29af25e82a249ea15858e2d4ecbf64091db44
lists.apache.org/thread.html/82b01bf... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/82b01bfb6787097427ce97cec6a7127e93718bc05d1efd5eaffc228f@%3Cdev.lucene.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/b0656d3... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/b0656d359c7d40ec9f39c8cc61bca66802ef9a2a12ee199f5b0c1442@%3Cdev.drill.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/ba97311... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ba973114605d936be276ee6ce09dfbdbf78aa56f6cdc6e79bfa7b8df@%3Cdev.lucene.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/f9bc3e5... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/f9bc3e55f4e28d1dcd1a69aae6d53e609a758e34d2869b4d798e13cc@%3Cissues.drill.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/ff8dcfe... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ff8dcfe29377088ab655fda9d585dccd5b1f07fabd94ae84fd60a7f8@%3Ccommits.pulsar.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf1bbc0... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf1bbc0ea4a9f014cf94df9a12a6477d24a27f52741dbc87f2fd52ff2@%3Cissues.geode.apache.org%3E
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce... WEB
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/03/msg00005.html
seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/may/68 WEB
https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/May/68
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190530-0003
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4452
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2020.html
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2019-5072813.html
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2019-5072801.html
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2019-5072835.html
Jackson databind Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2019-5072832.html
lists.apache.org/thread.html/6a78f88... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/6a78f88716c3c57aa74ec05764a37ab3874769a347805903b393b286@%3Cdev.lucene.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/519eb0f... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/519eb0fd45642dcecd9ff74cb3e71c20a4753f7d82e2f07864b5108f@%3Cdev.drill.apache.org%3E
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-x2w5-5m2g-7h5m
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson/wiki/Jackson-Release-2.9.7
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:40... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4037
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:38... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3892
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:31... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3149
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:28... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2858
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:18... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1823
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:18... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1822
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:11... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1140
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:11... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1108
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:11... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1107
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:11... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1106
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2019:07... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0782
access.redhat.com/errata/rhba-2019:09... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2019:0959

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-14720?
CVE-2018-14720 is a security vulnerability in Jackson databind involving XML External Entity Reference (XXE) in jackson-databind under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data.
Which Jackson databind versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.9.7, 2.8.11.3, 2.7.9.5 across affected packages: com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind.
What version fixes CVE-2018-14720?
Upgrading to 2.9.7, 2.8.11.3, 2.7.9.5 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is jackson-databind affected?
Yes, com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind is affected in releases prior to 2.9.7, 2.8.11.3, 2.7.9.5. Upgrade your dependency to 2.9.7, 2.8.11.3, 2.7.9.5 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2018-14720?
CVE-2018-14720 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2018-14720?
CVE-2018-14720 is classified under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data (The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2018-14720?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.fasterxml.jackson.core'. 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 
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  "id" : "GHSA-x2w5-5m2g-7h5m",
  "modified" : "2023-06-12T22:34:49Z",
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}