CVE-2019-12400: Xmlsec Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-4q98-wr72-h35w
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CVSS 5.5
CWE-20
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-12400 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.5) improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Xmlsec libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves improper input validation in apache santuario xml security for java. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.1.4.

CVE-2019-12400 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-12400
GHSA Identifier GHSA-4q98-wr72-h35w
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.5
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Xmlsec
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2019-12400

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Xmlsec 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.apache.santuario:xmlsec fixed: 2.1.4 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.santuario</groupId>
    <artifactId>xmlsec</artifactId>
    <version>2.1.4</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.apache.santuario

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2019-12400, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.santuario

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Xmlsec in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.1.4), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.santuario 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-20: Improper Input Validation, where the product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. In Xmlsec, 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

In version 2.0.3 Apache Santuario XML Security for Java, a caching mechanism was introduced to speed up creating new XML documents using a static pool of DocumentBuilders. However, if some untrusted code can register a malicious implementation with the thread context class loader first, then this implementation might be cached and re-used by Apache Santuario - XML Security for Java, leading to potential security flaws when validating signed documents, etc. The vulnerability affects Apache Santuario - XML Security for Java 2.0.x releases from 2.0.3 and all 2.1.x releases before 2.1.4.

CVE-2019-12400 Affected Xmlsec Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.1.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.santuario:xmlsec
maven/org.apache.santuario/xmlsec
Maven
≥ 2.0.3
< 2.1.4
2.1.4

References

NVD — CVE-2019-12400 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12400
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2020:08... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0804
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2020:08... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0805
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2020:08... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0806
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2020:08... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0811
lists.apache.org/thread.html/8e814b9... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/8e814b925bf580bc527d96ff51e72ffe5bdeaa4b8bf5b89498cab24c@%3Cdev.santuario.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/edaa7ed... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/edaa7edb9c58e5f5bd0c950f2b6232b62b15f5c44ad803e8728308ce@%3Cdev.santuario.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r107bff... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r107bffb06a5e27457fe9af7dfe3a233d0d36c6c2f5122f117eb7f626@%3Ccommits.tomee.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r1c07a5... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r1c07a561426ec5579073046ad7f4207cdcef452bb3100abaf908e0cd@%3Ccommits.santuario.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcdc0da... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcdc0da94fe21b26493eae47ca987a290bdf90c721a7a42491fdd41d4@%3Ccommits.tomee.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf82be0... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf82be0a7c98cd3545e20817bb96ed05551ea0020acbaf9a469fef402@%3Ccommits.tomee.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf958ce... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf958cea96236de8829940109ae07e870aa3d59235345421e4924ff03@%3Ccommits.tomee.apache.org%3E
Xmlsec Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190910-0003
Xmlsec Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
santuario.apache.org/secadv.data/cve-201... WEB
http://santuario.apache.org/secadv.data/CVE-2019-12400.asc?version=1&modificationDate=1566573083000&api=v2

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-12400?
CVE-2019-12400 is a security vulnerability in Xmlsec involving Improper input validation in Apache Santuario XML Security for Java under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation.
Which Xmlsec versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.1.4 across affected packages: org.apache.santuario:xmlsec.
What version fixes CVE-2019-12400?
Upgrading to 2.1.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is xmlsec affected?
Yes, org.apache.santuario:xmlsec is affected in releases prior to 2.1.4. Upgrade your dependency to 2.1.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-12400?
CVE-2019-12400 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-12400?
CVE-2019-12400 is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation (The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2019-12400?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.santuario'. 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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  "summary" : "Improper input validation in Apache Santuario XML Security for Java",
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  }, {
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  }, {
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  }, {
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    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf82be0a7c98cd3545e20817bb96ed05551ea0020acbaf9a469fef402@%3Ccommits.tomee.apache.org%3E"
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190910-0003"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
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    "github_reviewed_at" : "2019-08-27T17:17:13Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2019-08-23T21:15:00Z"
  }
}