CVE-2013-2160 in CXF
Summary
by MITRE
The streaming XML parser in Apache CXF 2.5.x before 2.5.10, 2.6.x before 2.6.7, and 2.7.x before 2.7.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU and memory consumption) via crafted XML with a large number of (1) elements, (2) attributes, (3) nested constructs, and possibly other vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2160 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the streaming XML parser implementation of Apache CXF framework. This issue affects multiple versions of the framework including 2.5.x before 2.5.10, 2.6.x before 2.6.7, and 2.7.x before 2.7.4, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these specific versions. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the XML parsing mechanism, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit system resources through carefully crafted XML payloads.
The technical flaw manifests when the streaming XML parser processes malformed XML documents containing excessive structural elements. Attackers can craft XML documents with an abundance of elements, attributes, and nested constructs that cause the parser to consume disproportionate amounts of CPU cycles and memory resources during processing. This occurs because the parser lacks proper safeguards against XML bomb attacks or excessive nesting patterns that could lead to exponential resource consumption. The vulnerability operates at the parser level rather than at the application layer, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect any application built on Apache CXF that processes XML input from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire system availability. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause significant CPU and memory exhaustion, leading to system instability, application crashes, and complete denial of service for legitimate users. The resource consumption patterns are particularly concerning because they can be sustained over time, making the attack difficult to detect and mitigate. Organizations running affected versions of Apache CXF may experience cascading failures as system resources become depleted, potentially affecting multiple services that depend on the framework.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2160 primarily focus on upgrading to patched versions of Apache CXF where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved input validation and resource limiting mechanisms. Organizations should also implement XML parsing restrictions including limiting document size, element depth, and attribute counts within their applications. Network-level protections such as rate limiting and input sanitization can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability maps to CWE-400, which addresses unrestricted resource consumption, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques focusing on resource exhaustion attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual CPU and memory usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular patch management schedules to prevent similar vulnerabilities from arising in the future.