CVE-2025-36374 in DataPower Gateway
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
IBM DataPower Gateway is vulnerable to an XML external entity injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A privileged user could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
The vulnerability in IBM DataPower Gateway represents a critical xml external entity injection flaw that enables unauthorized access to sensitive system information and resource consumption. This weakness occurs during the processing of xml data within the gateway environment, where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize external entity references in xml documents. The attack vector specifically targets privileged users who can manipulate xml input streams to trigger malicious external entity resolution, potentially leading to information disclosure and denial of service conditions.
This vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumeration cwe-611 which categorizes xml external entity injection as a serious security flaw that allows attackers to access internal system resources through improperly configured xml parsers. The issue manifests when the DataPower gateway processes xml content without adequate restrictions on external entity resolution, creating opportunities for attackers to reference external resources or perform unauthorized operations within the system boundaries. The attack can be executed through carefully crafted xml payloads that contain malicious external entity declarations, which the gateway's xml processor resolves without proper validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to include potential resource exhaustion attacks that could compromise system availability. Privileged users with access to xml processing capabilities can exploit the flaw to consume excessive memory resources or trigger recursive entity expansions that lead to denial of service conditions. Additionally, successful exploitation may allow attackers to access sensitive configuration data, internal network information, or other confidential resources that should remain protected within the gateway environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of xml parser hardening measures including disabling external entity resolution, implementing strict input validation controls, and configuring proper xml schema validation rules. Organizations should deploy xml security policies that restrict access to external resources and establish monitoring mechanisms to detect suspicious xml processing activities. The recommended approach includes updating the DataPower gateway to patched versions that address the xxE vulnerability, implementing web application firewalls with xml filtering capabilities, and conducting thorough security assessments of all xml processing components within the system infrastructure. These measures align with attack technique t1213 from the mitre att&ck framework which addresses data from remote servers through xml external entity injection attacks.