Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in iText
The XML parsers in iText before 5.5.12 and 7.x before 7.0.3 do not disable external entities, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML external entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted PDF.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | com.itextpdf:itextpdf | < 5.5.12, >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.3 | 5.5.12, 7.0.3 |
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | com.lowagie:itext | <= 4.2.2 | no fix |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9096
- https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbhf03902en_us
- https://www.compass-security.com/fileadmin/Datein/Research/Advisories/CSNC-2017-017_itext_xml_external_entity_attack.txt
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/541483/100/0/threaded
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-611- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
com.itextpdf:itextpdf, com.lowagie:itext- Disclosed
- 13.05.2022
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:21
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: com.lowagie:itext
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.
This is the only known vulnerability of this package.
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