CVE-2014-3643 in jersey
Summary
by MITRE
jersey: XXE via parameter entities not disabled by the jersey SAX parser
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3643 affects the jersey framework, specifically exposing an XML External Entity processing weakness through parameter entities within the jersey SAX parser implementation. This issue stems from the parser's failure to properly disable external entity resolution when processing xml input, creating a potential attack vector for malicious actors to exploit. The vulnerability resides in how the parser handles parameter entities, which are xml constructs that allow for the definition of reusable content that can reference external resources.
The technical flaw manifests when the jersey SAX parser processes xml documents containing parameter entities that reference external resources without proper sanitization or disabling mechanisms. Parameter entities in xml are defined using the % symbol and can contain references to external entities or files that the parser attempts to resolve. When these entities reference external resources, an attacker can craft malicious xml payloads that trigger unintended behavior during parsing, potentially leading to information disclosure, denial of service, or even remote code execution depending on the environment and system configuration. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-611, which addresses improper restriction of XML external entity reference, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple parsing errors, as it can enable attackers to perform server-side request forgery attacks, extract sensitive system information, or cause resource exhaustion through excessive external entity resolution. In environments where jersey applications process untrusted xml input from users or external sources, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for data breaches and system compromise. The attack surface is particularly concerning in web applications that accept xml data for processing, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including web forms, api endpoints, or file upload mechanisms that handle xml content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3643 should focus on implementing proper xml parser configuration to disable external entity resolution entirely, particularly for parameter entities. Organizations should ensure that all jersey applications using xml processing components have proper security configurations that prevent external entity expansion, typically through setting appropriate parser features or using secure xml processing libraries. The recommended approach includes configuring the SAX parser with features such as setFeature("http://apache.org/xml/features/nonvalidating/load-external-dtd", false) and similar restrictions on external entity resolution. Additionally, input validation and sanitization should be implemented at multiple layers to prevent malicious xml content from reaching the parser, with security updates to the jersey framework addressing this specific vulnerability being essential for long-term protection.