Vulnerabilities

XStream serializes Java objects to XML and back again. Versions prior to 1.4.20 may allow a remote attacker to terminate the application with a stack overflow error, resulting in a denial of service only via manipulation the processed input stream. The attack uses the hash code implementation for collections and maps to force recursive hash calculation causing a stack overflow. This issue is patched in version 1.4.20 which handles the stack overflow and raises an InputManipulationException instead. A potential workaround for users who only use HashMap or HashSet and whose XML refers these only as default map or set, is to change the default implementation of java.util.Map and java.util per the code example in the referenced advisory. However, this implies that your application does not care about the implementation of the map and all elements are comparable.

Those using Woodstox to parse XML data may be vulnerable to Denial of Service attacks (DOS) if DTD support is enabled. If the parser is running on user supplied input, an attacker may supply content that causes the parser to crash by stackoverflow. This effect may support a denial of service attack.

XStream is an open source java library to serialize objects to XML and back again. Versions prior to 1.4.19 may allow a remote attacker to allocate 100% CPU time on the target system depending on CPU type or parallel execution of such a payload resulting in a denial of service only by manipulating the processed input stream. XStream 1.4.19 monitors and accumulates the time it takes to add elements to collections and throws an exception if a set threshold is exceeded. Users are advised to upgrade as soon as possible. Users unable to upgrade may set the NO_REFERENCE mode to prevent recursion. See GHSA-rmr5-cpv2-vgjf for further details on a workaround if an upgrade is not possible.

CVE-2021-39144 is a remote code execution vulnerability in XStream, a widely used Java library that serializes objects to XML and back, caused by unsafe deserialization of a manipulated input stream (CWE-502, CWE-94, CWE-306). An attacker with sufficient rights to feed crafted input into an application running an affected XStream version can trigger arbitrary type instantiation and execute commands on the host, with high impact to confidentiality, integrity and availability (CVSS 3.1: 8.5, scope changed). Only deployments relying on XStream's default blacklist configuration are affected; users who configured XStream's security framework with a whitelist limited to the minimal required types are not affected, and XStream 1.4.18 removed the vulnerable default blacklist behavior. The library is embedded in many downstream products in the data, including Debian Linux and Fedora packages, NetApp SnapManager, and numerous Oracle Communications, Commerce and Retail products, and it was exploited in VMware Cloud Foundation and NSX Manager. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-03-10, is being actively exploited in the wild per current headlines, and EPSS assigns a 98.1% probability of exploitation within 30 days.

Do: Upgrade XStream to 1.4.18 or later, or configure its security framework with a whitelist limited to the minimal required types; apply vendor-supplied updates for VMware Cloud Foundation/NSX Manager, Oracle, NetApp, Debian and Fedora per the CISA KEV required action. Prioritize internet-exposed VMware NSX Manager and Cloud Foundation deployments, which are being actively exploited, and audit any applications that pass untrusted XML input into XStream.

XStream is software for serializing Java objects to XML and back again. A vulnerability in XStream versions prior to 1.4.17 may allow a remote attacker has sufficient rights to execute commands of the host only by manipulating the processed input stream. No user who followed the recommendation to setup XStream's security framework with a whitelist limited to the minimal required types is affected. The vulnerability is patched in version 1.4.17.

XStream is a Java library to serialize objects to XML and back again. In XStream before version 1.4.16, there is a vulnerability which may allow a remote attacker who has sufficient rights to execute commands of the host only by manipulating the processed input stream. No user is affected, who followed the recommendation to setup XStream's security framework with a whitelist limited to the minimal required types. If you rely on XStream's default blacklist of the Security Framework, you will have to use at least version 1.4.16.

XStream is a Java library to serialize objects to XML and back again. In XStream before version 1.4.15, a Server-Side Forgery Request vulnerability can be activated when unmarshalling. The vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to request data from internal resources that are not publicly available only by manipulating the processed input stream. If you rely on XStream's default blacklist of the Security Framework, you will have to use at least version 1.4.15. The reported vulnerability does not exist if running Java 15 or higher. No user is affected who followed the recommendation to setup XStream's Security Framework with a whitelist! Anyone relying on XStream's default blacklist can immediately switch to a whilelist for the allowed types to avoid the vulnerability. Users of XStream 1.4.14 or below who still want to use XStream default blacklist can use a workaround described in more detailed in the referenced advisories.

XStream before version 1.4.14 is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution.The vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to run arbitrary shell commands only by manipulating the processed input stream. Only users who rely on blocklists are affected. Anyone using XStream's Security Framework allowlist is not affected. The linked advisory provides code workarounds for users who cannot upgrade. The issue is fixed in version 1.4.14.

It was found that xstream API version 1.4.10 before 1.4.11 introduced a regression for a previous deserialization flaw. If the security framework has not been initialized, it may allow a remote attacker to run arbitrary shell commands when unmarshalling XML or any supported format. e.g. JSON. (regression of CVE-2013-7285)

XStream through 1.4.9, when a certain denyTypes workaround is not used, mishandles attempts to create an instance of the primitive type 'void' during unmarshalling, leading to a remote application crash, as demonstrated by an xstream.fromXML(" ") call.

Multiple XML external entity (XXE) vulnerabilities in the (1) Dom4JDriver, (2) DomDriver, (3) JDomDriver, (4) JDom2Driver, (5) SjsxpDriver, (6) StandardStaxDriver, and (7) WstxDriver drivers in XStream before 1.4.9 allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted XML document.