Description
Apache CXF reads a top-level WSDL through its hardened StaxUtils path, which disables XML DTDs and external entities. However, any <wsdl:import> or <xsd:import> referenced from that top-level WSDL is handed off to WSDL4J, which does not disable DOCTYPE declarations or external entities. As a result, the protections applied to the top-level document do not extend to imported documents, leaving imported WSDL/XSD content vulnerable to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.3 or 4.1.8 or 3.6.12, which fix this issue.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation | Apache CXF | 4.2.0 – < 4.2.3, 4.0.0 – < 4.1.8, < 3.6.12 | 4.2.3 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 9 | ovirt-engine-wildfly +1 | 24.0.1-4.el9 | ELSA-2026-500571 |
| Oracle Linux 8 | ovirt-engine-wildfly +1 | 24.0.1-4.el8 | ELSA-2026-500570 |
Advisories 4
- WID-SEC-2026-2682 Apache CXF: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 11, 2026
- ELSA-2026-500571 Important: ovirt-engine-wildfly security update (Oracle Linux 9) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Nov 4, 2026
- ELSA-2026-500570 Important: ovirt-engine-wildfly security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Nov 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2867 RealObjects PDFreactor: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen nicht spezifizierten Angriff BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 29, 2026
References
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/5qs207krzg51jl3zs3cvnl5lt9njp8c3 vendor-advisory