Medium

Apache XML Security For Java vulnerable to authentication bypass by HMAC truncation

  • Disclosed: 02.05.2022
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 12:21

The design of the W3C XML Signature Syntax and Processing (XMLDsig) recommendation, as implemented in multiple products.

The Apache XML Security (Java) is affected by the vulnerability published in US-Cert VU #466161. See: http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/466161 for more information. This bug can allow an attacker to bypass authentication by inserting/modifying a small HMAC truncation length parameter in the XML Signature HMAC based SignatureMethod algorithms.

An inexhaustive list of additional affected products includes:

  1. the Oracle Security Developer Tools component in Oracle Application Server 10.1.2.3, 10.1.3.4, and 10.1.4.3IM;
  2. the WebLogic Server component in BEA Product Suite 10.3, 10.0 MP1, 9.2 MP3, 9.1, 9.0, and 8.1 SP6;
  3. Mono before 2.4.2.2;
  4. XML Security Library before 1.2.12;
  5. IBM WebSphere Application Server Versions 6.0 through 6.0.2.33, 6.1 through 6.1.0.23, and 7.0 through 7.0.0.1;
  6. Sun JDK and JRE Update 14 and earlier;
  7. Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 through 3.0 SP2, 3.5, and 4.0; and other products uses a parameter that defines an HMAC truncation length (HMACOutputLength) but does not require a minimum for this length, which allows attackers to spoof HMAC-based signatures and bypass authentication by specifying a truncation length with a small number of bits.

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Java / Kotlin (Maven) org.apache.santuario:xmlsec >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.3 1.4.3

References

CVSS score -
Weakness (CWE)
-
Platform
Java / Kotlin (Maven)
Package
org.apache.santuario:xmlsec
Disclosed
02.05.2022
Updated
11.10.2026 12:21

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-8hfm-837h-hjg5 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: org.apache.santuario:xmlsec

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Java / Kotlin (Maven)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

Total entries
8
First → latest
08.2019 10.2023
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • High 1
  • Medium 7

Disclosures per year

  1. 2019: 1
  2. 2020: 0
  3. 2021: 1
  4. 2022: 5
  5. 2023: 1
  6. 2024: 0
  7. 2025: 0
  8. 2026: 0
  1. Medium · 6.5 CVE-2023-44483 >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.4, < 2.2.6, >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.3 2.3.4, 2.2.6, 3.0.3
  2. Medium CVE-2013-5823 >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.8, >= 1.5.0, < 1.5.3 1.4.8, 1.5.3
  3. Medium CVE-2013-2172 >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.8, >= 1.5.0, < 1.5.5 1.4.8, 1.5.5
  4. Medium · 5.3 CVE-2014-8152 >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.3 2.0.3
  5. Apache XML Security For Java vulnerable to authentication bypass by HMAC truncation this entry
    Medium CVE-2009-0217 >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.3 1.4.3
  6. High · 7.5 CVE-2021-40690 >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3, < 2.1.7 2.2.3, 2.1.7
  7. Medium · 5.5 CVE-2019-12400 >= 2.0.3, < 2.1.4 2.1.4

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