DSA-2978-1: libxml2 - Denial of Service Vulnerability
Summary
DSA-2978-1: libxml2 - security update. Affects libxml2 versions < 2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy1. Fixed in 2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy1. 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
libxml2 is a library for parsing and manipulating XML files. It provides various functionalities for handling XML data, including parsing, validation, and XPath querying. The library is widely used in many applications and programming languages. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in libxml2 that can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in libxml2 is related to entity substitution. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious XML file that triggers excessive entity substitution, causing the application using libxml2 to consume excessive CPU resources and potentially crash. This can result in a DoS condition, rendering the affected application unavailable to legitimate users.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade libxml2Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the recommended fix by upgrading the libxml2 package to the patched version.
Conclusion
The libxml2 library is vulnerable to a denial of service attack due to a flaw in entity substitution. It is crucial to upgrade the libxml2 package to the patched version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for libxml2 →
FAQ
libxml2 is a library for parsing and manipulating XML files. It is widely used in various applications and programming languages.
This vulnerability can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack, causing the affected application to become unresponsive or crash.
To fix this vulnerability, you need to upgrade the libxml2 package to version 2.8.0+dfsg1-7+wheezy1 or later.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is crucial to apply the recommended fix by upgrading the libxml2 package.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the Debian Security Advisory DSA-2978-1.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for libxml2.
