CVE-2016-4216: Xmpcore Xmpcore Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-qv32-7r6p-xhhh
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-4216 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) xmpcore vulnerability (CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) affecting Xmpcore libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves xmpcore. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 5.1.3.

CVE-2016-4216 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-4216
GHSA Identifier GHSA-qv32-7r6p-xhhh
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Affected Product Xmpcore
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:3.0/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-2016-4216

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Xmpcore 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.adobe.xmp:xmpcore fixed: 5.1.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.adobe.xmp</groupId>
    <artifactId>xmpcore</artifactId>
    <version>5.1.3</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.adobe.xmp

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2016-4216, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.adobe.xmp

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Xmpcore in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 5.1.3), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.adobe.xmp 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 Xmpcore, 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

XMPCore in Adobe XMP Toolkit for Java before 5.1.3 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via XML data containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.

CVE-2016-4216 Affected Xmpcore Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
5.1.3
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
com.adobe.xmp:xmpcore
maven/com.adobe.xmp/xmpcore
Maven
< 5.1.3
5.1.3

References

NVD — CVE-2016-4216 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4216
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qv32-7r6p-xhhh
Xmpcore Security Information SECURITY
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/xmpcore/apsb16-24.html
Xmpcore Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91717

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-4216?
CVE-2016-4216 is a security vulnerability in Xmpcore involving xmpcore under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference.
Which Xmpcore versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 5.1.3 across affected packages: com.adobe.xmp:xmpcore.
What version fixes CVE-2016-4216?
Upgrading to 5.1.3 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is xmpcore affected?
Yes, com.adobe.xmp:xmpcore is affected in releases prior to 5.1.3. Upgrade your dependency to 5.1.3 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-4216?
CVE-2016-4216 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-4216?
CVE-2016-4216 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-2016-4216?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=com.adobe.xmp'. 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-qv32-7r6p-xhhh",
  "modified" : "2021-09-16T21:06:35Z",
  "published" : "2018-10-19T16:39:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-4216" ],
  "summary" : "Moderate severity vulnerability that affects com.adobe.xmp:xmpcore",
  "details" : "XMPCore in Adobe XMP Toolkit for Java before 5.1.3 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via XML data containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "com.adobe.xmp:xmpcore"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "5.1.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4216"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qv32-7r6p-xhhh"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/xmpcore/apsb16-24.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91717"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:52:48Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}