CVE-2020-7711: Panic due to malformed XML digital signature in github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig
Summary
CVE-2020-7711: github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2 is vulnerable to NULL Pointer Dereference. Affects github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2 versions < 0.7.0. Fixed in 0.7.0. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig · Go
- github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig · Go
- golang-github-russellhaering-goxmldsig · Debian:11
The same CVE-2020-7711 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
The package github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig is a Go library that provides functionality for working with XML digital signatures. It allows users to validate XML signatures and perform other related operations. The package is vulnerable to a panic caused by a nil pointer dereference when validating malformed XML digital signatures. This vulnerability can be exploited as a denial of service vector if user-supplied signatures are being validated.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig arises from a nil pointer dereference. When validating XML digital signatures, if a malformed signature is encountered, it can trigger a panic due to the nil pointer dereference. This can lead to a denial of service situation if an attacker supplies a specially crafted signature for validation. The impact of this vulnerability is limited to the availability of the affected application or system.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v0.12.0 as of 23 Oct 2026
go get github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2@v0.12.0Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.7.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2@v0.7.0Tip — 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 recommended to update to the latest version of the github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig package to mitigate the risk.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig can lead to a panic due to a nil pointer dereference when validating malformed XML digital signatures. This can be exploited as a denial of service vector if user-supplied signatures are being validated. To mitigate the risk, users should update to version 1.1.1 or later of the package. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2 →
FAQ
The impact of this vulnerability is limited to the availability of the affected application or system. It can be used as a denial of service vector if user-supplied signatures are being validated.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your Gopkg.lock file and the playground will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability. It is recommended to update to the latest version of the github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig package to mitigate the risk.
You can update the github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig package by running 'go get -u github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig' or by updating your go.mod file with the latest version of the package.
For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can contact info@devnack.com. They can provide assistance and guidance on fixing this vulnerability.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/russellhaering/gosaml2.
