CVE-2014-2741 in Openfire
Summary
by MITRE
nio/XMLLightweightParser.java in Ignite Realtime Openfire before 3.9.2 does not properly restrict the processing of compressed XML elements, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a crafted XMPP stream, aka an "xmppbomb" attack.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2741 affects Ignite Realtime Openfire versions prior to 3.9.2 and represents a critical denial of service weakness that exploits improper handling of compressed XML elements within the XMPP protocol implementation. This flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious XMPP streams that can overwhelm system resources and cause service disruption. The vulnerability specifically targets the XML parser's handling of compressed elements, creating a scenario where legitimate XML processing becomes a vector for resource exhaustion attacks. The attack pattern resembles what is commonly referred to as an "xmppbomb" due to its ability to consume excessive system resources through carefully constructed XML content that appears benign but contains compressed elements designed to trigger resource consumption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and processing restrictions within Openfire's XML stream handling mechanism. When processing XMPP streams, the software fails to adequately limit the expansion rate of compressed XML elements, allowing attackers to craft payloads where compressed data expands significantly during parsing operations. This weakness aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes the vulnerability as a resource exhaustion issue caused by insufficient resource management during XML processing. The flaw exists in the XML parser's decompression logic where it does not enforce reasonable limits on the expansion ratio between compressed and decompressed content, enabling attackers to exploit this gap in validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2741 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability of critical communication infrastructure. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause Openfire servers to consume excessive CPU cycles and memory resources, leading to complete service unavailability for legitimate users. This makes the attack particularly dangerous in environments where Openfire serves as a core communication platform for organizations relying on instant messaging and presence services. The resource consumption pattern typically manifests as gradual system degradation followed by complete service failure, making detection and mitigation challenging. Attackers can maintain persistent resource exhaustion by sending multiple crafted streams, potentially causing cascading failures in larger network environments where multiple Openfire instances are deployed.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching to version 3.9.2 or later, which includes proper restrictions on compressed XML element processing. Additional mitigations include implementing network-level controls such as rate limiting on XMPP traffic, deploying XML processing firewalls, and configuring resource limits on server processes to prevent complete resource exhaustion. The implementation of these controls aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which focuses on resource exhaustion attacks targeting network services. Security teams should also consider monitoring for unusual XML processing patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify potential xmppbomb attack signatures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and resource management in protocol implementations, particularly when dealing with compressed data formats that can exponentially expand during processing operations.