CVE-2018-1000644: Rdf4j runtime Eclipse RDF4j Vulnerable To XML Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-6xq8-pvg4-3mf3
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CVSS 10.0
CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2018-1000644 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 10.0) eclipse rdf4j vulnerable to xml vulnerability (CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) affecting Rdf4j runtime libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves eclipse rdf4j vulnerable to xml external entity. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.4.0.

CVE-2018-1000644 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2018-1000644
GHSA Identifier GHSA-6xq8-pvg4-3mf3
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 10.0
CWE Classification CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Affected Product Rdf4j runtime
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 10.0

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:C/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 Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2018-1000644

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Rdf4j runtime 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.eclipse.rdf4j:rdf4j-runtime fixed: 2.4.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.eclipse.rdf4j</groupId>
    <artifactId>rdf4j-runtime</artifactId>
    <version>2.4.0</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.eclipse.rdf4j

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2018-1000644, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.eclipse.rdf4j

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Rdf4j runtime in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.4.0), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.eclipse.rdf4j 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 Rdf4j runtime, 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

Eclipse RDF4j version < 2.4.0 Milestone 2 contains a XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in RDF4j XML parser parsing RDF files that can result in the disclosure of confidential data, denial of service, server side request forgery, port scanning. This attack appear to be exploitable via Specially crafted RDF file.

CVE-2018-1000644 Affected Rdf4j runtime Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.4.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.eclipse.rdf4j:rdf4j-runtime
maven/org.eclipse.rdf4j/rdf4j-runtime
Maven
< 2.4.0
2.4.0

References

NVD — CVE-2018-1000644 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1000644
Rdf4j runtime Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/eclipse/rdf4j/issues/1056
0dd.zone/2018/08/05/rdf4j-xx... WEB
https://0dd.zone/2018/08/05/rdf4j-XXE
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6xq8-pvg4-3mf3
Rdf4j runtime Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/eclipse/rdf4j

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-1000644?
CVE-2018-1000644 is a security vulnerability in Rdf4j runtime involving Eclipse RDF4j vulnerable to XML External Entity under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference.
Which Rdf4j runtime versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.4.0 across affected packages: org.eclipse.rdf4j:rdf4j-runtime.
What version fixes CVE-2018-1000644?
Upgrading to 2.4.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is rdf4j-runtime affected?
Yes, org.eclipse.rdf4j:rdf4j-runtime is affected in releases prior to 2.4.0. Upgrade your dependency to 2.4.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2018-1000644?
CVE-2018-1000644 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 10.0 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2018-1000644?
CVE-2018-1000644 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-2018-1000644?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.eclipse.rdf4j'. 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-6xq8-pvg4-3mf3",
  "modified" : "2025-10-15T16:43:16Z",
  "published" : "2018-10-19T16:54:11Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2018-1000644" ],
  "summary" : "Eclipse RDF4j vulnerable to XML External Entity",
  "details" : "Eclipse RDF4j version < 2.4.0 Milestone 2 contains a XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in RDF4j XML parser parsing RDF files that can result in the disclosure of confidential data, denial of service, server side request forgery, port scanning. This attack appear to be exploitable via Specially crafted RDF file.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.eclipse.rdf4j:rdf4j-runtime"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.4.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1000644"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/eclipse/rdf4j/issues/1056"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://0dd.zone/2018/08/05/rdf4j-XXE"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6xq8-pvg4-3mf3"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/eclipse/rdf4j"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:20:48Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}