CVE-2025-4641 in webdrivermanager
Summary
by MITRE • 05/14/2025
Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference vulnerability in bonigarcia webdrivermanager WebDriverManager on Windows, MacOS, Linux (XML parsing components modules) allows Data Serialization External Entities Blowup. This vulnerability is associated with program files src/main/java/io/github/bonigarcia/wdm/WebDriverManager.java.
This issue affects webdrivermanager: from 1.0.0 before 6.0.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2025
The CVE-2025-4641 vulnerability represents a critical improper restriction of XML external entity reference flaw within the bonigarcia webdrivermanager library, specifically impacting Windows, MacOS, and Linux operating systems through its XML parsing components. This vulnerability resides in the core WebDriverManager.java file located at src/main/java/io/github/bonigarcia/wdm/WebDriverManager.java, making it a fundamental security weakness in the automation testing framework's dependency management system. The flaw allows attackers to exploit XML external entity processing, creating a potential pathway for data serialization external entities blowup that could lead to severe system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of XML input within the webdrivermanager's XML parsing modules. When the library processes XML configuration files or responses from web services, it fails to properly restrict external entity references, enabling attackers to craft malicious XML payloads that can trigger unintended behavior during parsing operations. This weakness directly maps 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, as the vulnerability allows for unauthorized data extraction through XML processing mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that webdrivermanager is commonly used in automated testing environments where it may process untrusted XML data from various sources including remote servers, configuration files, or dependency repositories.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-4641 extends beyond simple data exposure, as the vulnerability can enable more sophisticated attack vectors including remote code execution, denial of service conditions, and information disclosure. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to perform server-side request forgery attacks, cause resource exhaustion through entity expansion, or extract sensitive information from the target system. The vulnerability affects versions from 1.0.0 through 5.0.1, representing a significant portion of the library's usage history, and poses particular risk in CI/CD pipelines, automated testing environments, and development workflows where webdrivermanager is extensively utilized. The affected XML parsing components are likely used for downloading and configuring web drivers, making the attack surface particularly broad in automated testing infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate version updates to webdrivermanager 6.0.2 or later, which should include proper XML external entity validation and restriction mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of the vulnerable library are updated across their testing environments and development workflows. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to external XML sources, deploying XML parsing restrictions at the system level, and conducting thorough security reviews of XML processing components within automated testing frameworks. The fix should incorporate proper XML parser configuration that disables external entity resolution and DTD processing, aligning with industry best practices for XML security as outlined in OWASP XML Security guidelines and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework recommendations for secure coding practices.