libxml2: stack overflow before detecting invalid XML file
Published May 17, 2016
7.5
HIGHCVSS 3.0
EPSS 5.10%
Description
The (1) xmlParserEntityCheck and (2) xmlParseAttValueComplex functions in parser.c in libxml2 2.9.3 do not properly keep track of the recursion depth, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (stack consumption and application crash) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- 12.04
- 14.04
- 15.10
- 16.04
Configuration 3
- 8.0
Configuration 4
- 3.0
- 3.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
libxml2-0:2.7.6-21.el6_8.1
Fixed · RHSA-2016:1292
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
libxml2-0:2.9.1-6.el7_2.3
Fixed · RHSA-2016:1292
Red Hat JBoss Core Services
n/a
Fixed · RHSA-2016:2957
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
libxml2
Will not fix
Red Hat JBoss Core Services
httpd
Affected
Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 3
libxml2
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | libxml2-0:2.7.6-21.el6_8.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | libxml2-0:2.9.1-6.el7_2.3 | Fixed | RHSA-2016:1292 |
| Red Hat JBoss Core Services | n/a | Fixed | RHSA-2016:2957 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | libxml2 | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Core Services | httpd | Affected | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 3 | libxml2 | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (14 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 5.10% (0.05103) | 92.11th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 5.10% (0.05103) | 91.25th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 1.03% (0.01027) | 75.29th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 2.18% (0.02177) | 73.87th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 1.03% (0.01027) | 75.76th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 1.09% (0.01093) | 85.02th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 31, 2024 | 1.09% (0.01093) | 84.39th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 10, 2023 | 1.09% (0.01093) | 82.39th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Apr 20, 2023 | 0.97% (0.00969) | 81.11th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 8, 2023 | 0.91% (0.00910) | 80.36th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.88% (0.00883) | 80.03th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 82.85th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 81.17th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 62.66th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (20)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-05/msg00055.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSE
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-05/msg00127.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSE
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2957.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/May/10 mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISC
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjul2016-3090544.html x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/89854 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2994-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:1292 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-3705 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=765207 x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1332443 Issue Tracking
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05157239 x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10170 x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3705
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-37 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOO
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3705
- https://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3593 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIAN
- https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2016-18 x_refsource_CONFIRM
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.