CVE-2019-19031 in Easy XML Editor
Summary
by MITRE
Easy XML Editor through v1.7.8 is affected by: XML External Entity Injection. The impact is: Arbitrary File Read and DoS by consuming resources. The component is: XML Parsing. The attack vector is: Specially crafted XML payload.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19031 affects Easy XML Editor version 1.7.8 and represents a critical XML External Entity Injection flaw that fundamentally compromises the application's security posture. This vulnerability resides within the XML parsing component of the software, where the application fails to properly validate and sanitize external entity references during XML document processing. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the XML parser into resolving external entities that can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive system resources and potential denial of service conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted XML payloads that contain external entity declarations referencing local files or network resources. When the vulnerable application processes such malformed XML input, the XML parser automatically resolves these external entities without proper validation, creating opportunities for arbitrary file reading from the system. This capability allows attackers to access sensitive files that should remain protected, potentially including configuration files, user data, or system credentials. The vulnerability also enables resource exhaustion attacks that can lead to denial of service conditions by consuming excessive memory or processing power through malformed entity references.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk for organizations using Easy XML Editor, particularly in environments where the application processes untrusted XML input from external sources. The arbitrary file read capability can expose sensitive information that may lead to further exploitation attempts, while the DoS component can disrupt business operations by making the application unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability affects both the confidentiality and availability aspects of the system's security model, as attackers can simultaneously extract information and disrupt services.
Security professionals should address this vulnerability through immediate patching of the Easy XML Editor application to version 1.7.9 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for XML external entity handling. Organizations should also implement input validation controls that prevent the processing of XML documents containing external entity declarations, particularly when dealing with untrusted input sources. The mitigation strategies align with CWE-611, which specifically addresses improper restriction of XML external entity reference, and should follow ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories, as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive data. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should verify that XML parsing components properly handle external entity references.