Xml RpcApplication · Apache
CVE-2016-5002
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedXML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in the Apache XML-RPC (aka ws-xmlrpc) library 3.1.3, as used in Apache Archiva, allows remote attackers to conduct server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks via a crafted DTD.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is an XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerability in Apache XML-RPC (ws-xmlrpc) library version 3.1.3. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to conduct Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attacks by crafting malicious DTD (Document Type Definition) files that force the XML parser to make unintended requests to attacker-controlled servers.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Xml RpcApplication
= 3.1.3CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Locate Apache XML-RPC library in your environmentSearch for ws-xmlrpc or xmlrpc JAR files in your application dependencies, lib folders, or build artifacts (e.g., Maven pom.xml, Gradle build files, or JAR search in WEB-INF/lib)Affected if The Apache XML-RPC library (ws-xmlrpc) is present in your application dependencies or deployed libraries
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Identify the installed version of Apache XML-RPCExamine the JAR file metadata (MANIFEST.MF), check the pom.xml dependency declaration, or run a package manager query to confirm the exact version numberAffected if The version is exactly 3.1.3
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Verify XML input processing is in useReview application code to determine if XML-RPC request handling is enabled and actively processing incoming XML dataAffected if Your application accepts and parses XML-RPC requests using this library
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Check if external entity processing is enabledInspect the XML parser configuration in your application code or XML-RPC setup. Look for XMLReader or DocumentBuilder instances used by the XML-RPC stackAffected if External entity processing is not explicitly disabled in the XML parser configuration (DTD processing allowed)
You are affected if Apache XML-RPC library version 3.1.3 is deployed and your application uses it to process XML-RPC requests with external entity processing enabled.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Apache XML-RPC library to a patched version, or disable external entity processing in the XML parser configuration. If upgrade is not immediately possible, validate and sanitize all XML input before processing.
Fix this in Xml Rpc
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,224.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-5002 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-5002 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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