Stack Overflow Vulnerability in Expat Package: CVE-2024-8176
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2024-8176: A stack overflow vulnerability exists in the libexpat library due to the way it handles recursive entity expansion in XML documents. Affects expat versions < 2.7.0-r0. Fixed in 2.7.0-r0. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Expat is a widely used XML parsing library that provides a fast and efficient way to process XML documents. It is known for its simplicity and performance, making it a popular choice among developers for applications that require XML parsing capabilities. However, Expat has a vulnerability that arises from its handling of recursive entity expansion in XML documents, which can lead to severe issues if exploited.
Vulnerability Detail
A stack overflow vulnerability exists in the libexpat library due to the way it handles recursive entity expansion in XML documents. When parsing an XML document with deeply nested entity references, libexpat can be forced to recurse indefinitely, exhausting the stack space and causing a crash. This issue could lead to denial of service (DoS) or, in some cases, exploitable memory corruption, depending on the environment and library usage.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.7.0-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade expatTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If you cannot update the package immediately, consider validating XML documents before parsing them to avoid deeply nested entity references. This can help mitigate the risk of triggering the stack overflow vulnerability.
Conclusion
The stack overflow vulnerability in the Expat package (CVE-2024-8176) poses a significant risk to applications that utilize this XML parsing library. It is crucial to update to the patched version to mitigate potential security threats. Regular monitoring and validation of XML documents can further enhance security.
See every vulnerability recorded for expat →
FAQ
CVE-2024-8176 is a vulnerability in the Expat XML parsing library that can lead to stack overflow and potential denial of service.
If your application uses the Expat library to parse XML documents, it may be vulnerable to crashes or memory corruption if it processes maliciously crafted XML.
All versions of Expat prior to 2.7.0-r0 are affected by this vulnerability.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
If an immediate update is not possible, validate XML documents before parsing to avoid deeply nested entity references as a temporary workaround.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for expat.
