Xcode IntegrationApplication · Jenkins
CVE-2021-21656
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 · uneditedJenkins Xcode integration Plugin 2.0.14 and earlier does not configure its XML parser to prevent XML external entity (XXE) attacks.
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 confidenceThe Jenkins Xcode integration Plugin versions 2.0.14 and earlier does not configure its XML parser to prevent XML external entity (XXE) attacks. This allows authenticated users to submit specially crafted XML files that can access internal resources, read local files, or cause denial of service via malicious external entity references.
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
Xcode IntegrationApplication
<= 2.0.14CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
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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Verify Jenkins Xcode Integration plugin is installedCheck the Jenkins plugins directory (typically $JENKINS_HOME/plugins/) for the 'xcode-integration' plugin folder, or access Jenkins UI at Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins > Installed and search for 'Xcode Integration'Affected if The Xcode Integration plugin is present in the installed plugins list
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Determine the installed plugin versionIf using Jenkins UI, find the Xcode Integration plugin in Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins > Installed and note the version number shown. Alternatively, inspect the plugin's manifest file (META-INF/MANIFEST.MF) inside the plugin's .jpi or .hpi file in the plugins directoryAffected if The version number displayed is 2.0.14 or earlier
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Confirm the plugin is actually usedReview Jenkins job configurations to check if any pipeline or freestyle jobs explicitly reference or use the Xcode Integration plugin (look for 'xcode' or 'xcode-integration' in build steps or pipeline syntax)Affected if Any job configuration references the Xcode Integration plugin with a version affected by this CVE
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Check XML parsing behavior (optional confirmation)If the plugin processes XML files from untrusted sources, examine the plugin's configuration or logs. The vulnerability exists when XML files submitted to the plugin are parsed without XXE protection enabled in the XML parserAffected if The plugin accepts XML input and no additional XML security hardening has been applied at the Jenkins level
A user is affected if the Jenkins Xcode Integration plugin is installed with version 2.0.14 or earlier and that plugin processes XML input from authenticated users.
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 the Jenkins Xcode integration Plugin to version 2.0.15 or later, which properly configures the XML parser to disable external entity processing.
Fix this in Xcode Integration
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 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 $1,616.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-21656 — 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-2021-21656 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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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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