XStream is vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Deletion on the local host when unmarshalling
Published Dec 16, 2020
6.8
MEDIUMCVSS 3.1
EPSS 82.39%
Description
XStream is a Java library to serialize objects to XML and back again. In XStream before version 1.4.15, is vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Deletion on the local host when unmarshalling. The vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to delete arbitrary know files on the host as log as the executing process has sufficient rights 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 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.
Affected products
-
- Version < 1.4.15StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Configuration 3
- 9.0
- 10.0
Configuration 4
- 33
- 34
- 35
No data.
RHDM 7.11.0
xstream
Fixed · RHSA-2021:2476
RHPAM 7.11.0
xstream
Fixed · RHSA-2021:2475
Red Hat Data Grid 8.2.0
xstream
Fixed · RHSA-2021:2139
Red Hat Fuse 7.10
xstream
Fixed · RHSA-2021:5134
Red Hat Integration
n/a
Fixed · RHSA-2021:3205
Red Hat Integration Camel Quarkus 2
n/a
Fixed · RHSA-2021:4767
Red Hat BPM Suite 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat Integration Camel K 1
xstream
Affected
Red Hat Integration Camel Quarkus 1
xstream
Affected
Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss BRMS 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss Data Grid 7
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss Fuse Service Works 6
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 5
xstream
Out of support scope
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 3.11
jenkins
Not affected
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
jenkins
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHDM 7.11.0 | xstream | Fixed | RHSA-2021:2476 |
| RHPAM 7.11.0 | xstream | Fixed | RHSA-2021:2475 |
| Red Hat Data Grid 8.2.0 | xstream | Fixed | RHSA-2021:2139 |
| Red Hat Fuse 7.10 | xstream | Fixed | RHSA-2021:5134 |
| Red Hat Integration | n/a | Fixed | RHSA-2021:3205 |
| Red Hat Integration Camel Quarkus 2 | n/a | Fixed | RHSA-2021:4767 |
| Red Hat BPM Suite 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat Integration Camel K 1 | xstream | Affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Integration Camel Quarkus 1 | xstream | Affected | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss BRMS 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Data Grid 7 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse Service Works 6 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 5 | xstream | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 3.11 | jenkins | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | jenkins | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) delivers jenkins package with bundled XStream library. Due to JEP-200 Jenkins project [1] and advisory SECURITY-383 [2], OCP jenkins package is not affected by this flaw. [1] https://github.com/jenkinsci/jep/blob/master/jep/200/README.adoc [2] https://www.jenkins.io/security/advisory/2017-02-01/ (see SECURITY-383 / CVE-2017-2608)
Red Hat mitigation
As recommended, use XStream's security framework to implement a whitelist for the allowed types. Users of XStream 1.4.14 who insist to use XStream default blacklist - despite that clear recommendation - can simply add two lines to XStream's setup code: xstream.denyTypes(new String[]{ "jdk.nashorn.internal.objects.NativeString" }); xstream.denyTypesByRegExp(new String[]{ ".*\\.ReadAllStream\\$FileStream" }); Users of XStream 1.4.13 who want to use XStream default blacklist can simply add three lines to XStream's setup code: xstream.denyTypes(new String[]{ "javax.imageio.ImageIO$ContainsFilter", "jdk.nashorn.internal.objects.NativeString" }); xstream.denyTypes(new Class[]{ java.lang.ProcessBuilder.class }); xstream.denyTypesByRegExp(new String[]{ ".*\\.ReadAllStream\\$FileStream" }); Users of XStream 1.4.12 to 1.4.7 who want to use XStream with a blacklist will have to setup such a list from scratch and deny at least the following types: javax.imageio.ImageIO$ContainsFilter, java.beans.EventHandler, java.lang.ProcessBuilder, jdk.nashorn.internal.objects.NativeString, java.lang.Void and void and deny several types by name pattern. xstream.denyTypes(new String[]{ "javax.imageio.ImageIO$ContainsFilter", "jdk.nashorn.internal.objects.NativeString" }); xstream.denyTypes(new Class[]{ java.lang.ProcessBuilder.class, java.beans.EventHandler.class, java.lang.ProcessBuilder.class, java.lang.Void.class, void.class }); xstream.denyTypesByRegExp(new String[]{ ".*\\$LazyIterator", "javax\\.crypto\\..*", ".*\\.ReadAllStream\\$FileStream" }); Users of XStream 1.4.6 or below can register an own converter to prevent the unmarshalling of the currently know critical types of the Java runtime. It is in fact an updated version of the workaround for CVE-2013-7285: xstream.registerConverter(new Converter() { public boolean canConvert(Class type) { return type != null && (type == java.beans.EventHandler.class || type == java.lang.ProcessBuilder.class || type.getName().equals("javax.imageio.ImageIO$ContainsFilter") || type.getName().equals("jdk.nashorn.internal.objects.NativeString") || type == java.lang.Void.class || void.class || Proxy.isProxy(type) || type.getName().startsWith("javax.crypto.") || type.getName().endsWith("$LazyIterator") || type.getName().endsWith(".ReadAllStream$FileStream")); } public Object unmarshal(HierarchicalStreamReader reader, UnmarshallingContext context) { throw new ConversionException("Unsupported type due to security reasons."); } public void marshal(Object source, HierarchicalStreamWriter writer, MarshallingContext context) { throw new ConversionException("Unsupported type due to security reasons."); } }, XStream.PRIORITY_LOW);
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/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
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (25 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 82.39% (0.82392) | 99.65th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 27, 2026 | 82.81% (0.82806) | 99.63th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 81.05% (0.81045) | 99.58th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jan 3, 2026 | 88.87% (0.88870) | 99.51th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 21, 2025 | 90.70% (0.90702) | 99.59th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 89.35% (0.89355) | 99.63th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 15, 2025 | 90.71% (0.90712) | 99.59th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 88.75% (0.88755) | 99.49th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 23, 2024 | 44.27% (0.44267) | 97.44th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Dec 17, 2024 | 39.97% (0.39970) | 97.29th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 22, 2024 | 60.31% (0.60306) | 97.88th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 17, 2024 | 57.55% (0.57553) | 97.61th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 8, 2023 | 49.98% (0.49982) | 97.18th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Aug 31, 2023 | 61.73% (0.61733) | 97.37th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 22, 2023 | 58.15% (0.58150) | 97.25th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 10, 2023 | 58.61% (0.58608) | 97.24th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 62.45% (0.62453) | 97.20th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 26.13% (0.26127) | 97.09th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 26.13% (0.26127) | 95.69th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 10.66% (0.10659) | 87.80th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 10.66% (0.10659) | 87.66th | v1 |
| Oct 30, 2021 | 10.66% (0.10659) | 95.24th | v1 |
| Oct 13, 2021 | 9.69% (0.09690) | 94.96th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 7.69% (0.07689) | 91.54th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 7.69% (0.07689) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (18)
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-26259 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1908837 Issue Tracking
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jfvx-7wrx-43fh Advisory
- https://github.com/x-stream/xstream/security/advisories/GHSA-jfvx-7wrx-43fh x_refsource_CONFIRMMitigationThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r97993e3d78e1f5389b7b172ba9f308440830ce5f051ee62714a0aa34%40%3Ccommits.struts.apache.org%3E mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTIssue TrackingMailing List
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r97993e3d78e1f5389b7b172ba9f308440830ce5f051ee62714a0aa34@%3Ccommits.struts.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/12/msg00042.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/22KVR6B5IZP3BGQ3HPWIO2FWWCKT3DHP/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAMailing List
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PVPHZA7VW2RRSDCOIPP2W6O5ND254TU7/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAMailing List
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/QGXIU3YDPG6OGTDHMBLAFN7BPBERXREB/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAMailing List
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/22KVR6B5IZP3BGQ3HPWIO2FWWCKT3DHP/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PVPHZA7VW2RRSDCOIPP2W6O5ND254TU7/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/QGXIU3YDPG6OGTDHMBLAFN7BPBERXREB/
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-26259
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210409-0005/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-26259
- https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4828 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- https://x-stream.github.io/CVE-2020-26259.html x_refsource_MISCExploitMitigationThird Party Advisory
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.