Vulnerabilities in pkg:maven/org.http4s/http4s-scala-xml_2.12

PACKAGE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-cjx3-73hr-rpw7
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-61741 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.3) http4s-scala-xml has an xml external vulnerability (CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) affecting Http4s scala xml 2.12 libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves http4s-scala-xml has an xml external entity (xxe) processing issue. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.24.1, 1.0.0-M39.

1 Known Advisory Record(s)
Package Vulnerability Intelligence

pkg:maven/org.http4s/http4s-scala-xml_2.12

1 Known Advisory Record(s)

Vulnerability advisories affecting package pkg:maven/org.http4s/http4s-scala-xml_2.12. Select an advisory below to view technical details or fixes.

Advisory ID CVE / NVD Severity Summary
GHSA-cjx3-73hr-rpw7 CVE-2026-61741 CRITICAL http4s-scala-xml has an XML External Entity (XXE) processing issue

CVE-2026-61741 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-61741
GHSA Identifier GHSA-cjx3-73hr-rpw7
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.3
CWE Classification CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Affected Product Http4s scala xml 2.12
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.3

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

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 None (I:N)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2026-61741

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Http4s scala xml 2.12 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.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.12 fixed: 0.24.1
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4s</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4s-scala-xml_2.12</artifactId>
    <version>0.24.1</version>
</dependency>
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13 fixed: 0.24.1
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4s</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4s-scala-xml_2.13</artifactId>
    <version>0.24.1</version>
</dependency>
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13 fixed: 1.0.0-M39
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4s</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4s-scala-xml_2.13</artifactId>
    <version>1.0.0-M39</version>
</dependency>
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3 fixed: 0.24.1
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4s</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4s-scala-xml_3</artifactId>
    <version>0.24.1</version>
</dependency>
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3 fixed: 1.0.0-M39
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4s</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4s-scala-xml_3</artifactId>
    <version>1.0.0-M39</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.http4s

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-61741, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4s

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Http4s scala xml 2.12 in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.24.1), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4s 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 Http4s scala xml 2.12, 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

http4s-scala-xml provides `EntityDecoder[F, scala.xml.Elem]` instances that parse XML message bodies. These decoders used a `javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory` obtained from `SAXParserFactory.newInstance` without any security configuration. With the JDK's default settings, the parser resolves DOCTYPE declarations, external general and parameter entities, and external DTDs. An application that uses these decoders to parse untrusted XML is vulnerable to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks. An attacker can craft a request that: - discloses local files readable by the service process, - performs server-side request forgery (SSRF) against internal network resources, and/or - causes denial of service through entity expansion. ### Impact Any service that derives an XML `EntityDecoder` from this library and parses attacker-controlled input is affected. ### Patches The default SAXParserFactory is now hardened: - secure processing is enabled - `DOCTYPE` declarations are disallowed - external general/parameter entities and external DTD loading are disabled - DTD URIs are not resolved - XInclude is disabled. These defaults match `scala.xml.XMLLoader`'s defaults since 2.0.0. ### Workarounds Before upgrading, override `ElemInstances#saxFactory` with a hardened factory. ```scala val secured = new ElemInstances { override protected val saxFactory = { val f = javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory.newInstance f.setFeature("http://apache.org/xml/features/disallow-doctype-decl", true) // etc. f } } import secured._ ```

CVE-2026-61741 Affected Http4s scala xml 2.12 Versions

5 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.24.11.0.0-M39
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.12
Maven
< 0.24.1
0.24.1
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13
Maven
< 0.24.1
0.24.1
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13
Maven
≥ 1.0.0-M1
< 1.0.0-M39
1.0.0-M39
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3
Maven
< 0.24.1
0.24.1
org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3
Maven
≥ 1.0.0-M1
< 1.0.0-M39
1.0.0-M39

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-61741?
CVE-2026-61741 is a security vulnerability in Http4s scala xml 2.12 involving http4s-scala-xml has an XML External Entity (XXE) processing issue under CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference.
Which Http4s scala xml 2.12 versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.24.1, 1.0.0-M39 across affected packages: org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.12, org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13, org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3.
What version fixes CVE-2026-61741?
Upgrading to 0.24.1, 1.0.0-M39 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is http4s-scala-xml_2.12 affected?
Yes, org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.12 is affected in releases prior to 0.24.1. Upgrade your dependency to 0.24.1 or later.
Is http4s-scala-xml_2.13 affected?
Yes, org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13 is affected in releases prior to 0.24.1, 1.0.0-M39. Upgrade your dependency to 0.24.1, 1.0.0-M39 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-61741?
CVE-2026-61741 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.3 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-61741?
CVE-2026-61741 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-2026-61741?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4s'. 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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-cjx3-73hr-rpw7",
  "modified" : "2026-09-24T19:35:16Z",
  "published" : "2026-09-24T19:35:16Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-61741" ],
  "summary" : "http4s-scala-xml has an XML External Entity (XXE) processing issue",
  "details" : "http4s-scala-xml provides `EntityDecoder[F, scala.xml.Elem]` instances that parse XML message bodies. These decoders used a `javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory` obtained from `SAXParserFactory.newInstance` without any security configuration.  With the JDK's default settings, the parser resolves DOCTYPE declarations, external general and parameter entities, and external DTDs.\n\nAn application that uses these decoders to parse untrusted XML is vulnerable to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks.  An attacker can craft a request that:\n\n- discloses local files readable by the service process,\n- performs server-side request forgery (SSRF) against internal network resources, and/or\n- causes denial of service through entity expansion.\n\n### Impact\n\nAny service that derives an XML `EntityDecoder` from this library and parses attacker-controlled input is affected.\n\n### Patches\n\nThe default SAXParserFactory is now hardened: \n- secure processing is enabled\n- `DOCTYPE` declarations are disallowed\n- external general/parameter entities and external DTD loading are disabled\n- DTD URIs are not resolved\n- XInclude is disabled.\n\nThese defaults match `scala.xml.XMLLoader`'s defaults since 2.0.0.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nBefore upgrading, override `ElemInstances#saxFactory` with a hardened factory.\n\n```scala\n  val secured = new ElemInstances {\n    override protected val saxFactory = {\n      val f = javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory.newInstance\n      f.setFeature(\"http://apache.org/xml/features/disallow-doctype-decl\", true)\n      // etc.\n      f\n    }\n  }\n  import secured._\n```",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.12"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.24.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 0.24.0"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.24.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 0.24.0"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_2.13"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.0.0-M1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.0.0-M39"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.0.0-M38.1"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.24.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 0.24.0"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4s:http4s-scala-xml_3"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.0.0-M1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.0.0-M39"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.0.0-M38.1"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4s/http4s-scala-xml/security/advisories/GHSA-cjx3-73hr-rpw7"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-61741"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4s/http4s-scala-xml/commit/326f965a2c45fc2ddbc22545dcf551b0f719f4c8"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4s/http4s-scala-xml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4s/http4s-scala-xml/releases/tag/v0.24.1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4s/http4s-scala-xml/releases/tag/v1.0.0-M39"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-09-24T19:35:16Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-09-24T18:17:16Z"
  }
}