CVE-2013-1665: Django XML External Entity (XXE) Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-x64m-686f-fmm3
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CWE-200 CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2013-1665 is a MODERATE xml external entity (xxe) vulnerability (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting Django libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves xml external entity (xxe) in django. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.3.6, 1.4.4.

CVE-2013-1665 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2013-1665
GHSA Identifier GHSA-x64m-686f-fmm3
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
Affected Product Django
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2013-1665

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

Django fixed: 1.3.6 
pip install Django>=1.3.6
Django fixed: 1.4.4 
pip install Django>=1.4.4
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

pip show Django

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2013-1665, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show Django

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Django in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.3.6), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show Django command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor, where the product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. In Django, 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

The XML libraries for Python as used in OpenStack Keystone Essex and Folsom, Django, and possibly other products allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via an XML external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, aka an XML External Entity (XXE) attack.

CVE-2013-1665 Affected Django Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.3.61.4.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
≥ 1.3.0
< 1.3.6
1.3.6
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
≥ 1.4.0
< 1.4.4
1.4.4

References

NVD — CVE-2013-1665 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-1665
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/1c60d07ba23e0350351c278ad28d0bd5aa410b40
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/d19a27066b2247102e65412aa66917aff0091112
bugs.launchpad.net/keystone/+bug/11002... WEB
https://bugs.launchpad.net/keystone/+bug/1100279
blog.python.org/2013/02/announcing-... WEB
http://blog.python.org/2013/02/announcing-defusedxml-fixes-for-xml.html
bugs.python.org/issue17239 WEB
http://bugs.python.org/issue17239
lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack... WEB
http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-announce/2013-February/000078.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2013-06... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0657.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2013-06... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0658.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2013-06... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0670.html
ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1757-1 WEB
http://ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1757-1
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.debian.org/security/2013/dsa-2634
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/02/19/2
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/02/19/4

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2013-1665?
CVE-2013-1665 is a security vulnerability in Django involving XML External Entity (XXE) in Django under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor.
Which Django versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.3.6, 1.4.4 across affected packages: Django.
What version fixes CVE-2013-1665?
Upgrading to 1.3.6, 1.4.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Django affected?
Yes, Django is affected in releases prior to 1.3.6, 1.4.4. Upgrade your dependency to 1.3.6, 1.4.4 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2013-1665?
CVE-2013-1665 is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2013-1665?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show Django'. 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-x64m-686f-fmm3",
  "modified" : "2024-05-21T20:17:47Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T05:09:39Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2013-1665" ],
  "summary" : "XML External Entity (XXE) in Django",
  "details" : "The XML libraries for Python as used in OpenStack Keystone Essex and Folsom, Django, and possibly other products allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via an XML external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, aka an XML External Entity (XXE) attack.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.3.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.3.6"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
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        "introduced" : "1.4.0"
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        "fixed" : "1.4.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/1c60d07ba23e0350351c278ad28d0bd5aa410b40"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/d19a27066b2247102e65412aa66917aff0091112"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugs.launchpad.net/keystone/+bug/1100279"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://blog.python.org/2013/02/announcing-defusedxml-fixes-for-xml.html"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://bugs.python.org/issue17239"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-announce/2013-February/000078.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0657.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0658.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0670.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1757-1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.debian.org/security/2013/dsa-2634"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/02/19/2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/02/19/4"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-200", "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-05-21T20:17:46Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2013-04-03T00:55:00Z"
  }
}