xmlsoft libxml2 up to 2.12.9/2.13.5 valid.c xmlSnprintfElements stack-based overflow

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in xmlsoft libxml2 up to 2.12.9/2.13.5. This impacts the function xmlSnprintfElements of the file valid.c. Performing a manipulation results in stack-based overflow. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2025-24928. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in xmlsoft libxml2 up to 2.12.9/2.13.5. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function xmlSnprintfElements of the file valid.c. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a stack-based overflow vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-121. A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function). This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

libxml2 before 2.12.10 and 2.13.x before 2.13.6 has a stack-based buffer overflow in xmlSnprintfElements in valid.c. To exploit this, DTD validation must occur for an untrusted document or untrusted DTD. NOTE: this is similar to CVE-2017-9047.

It is possible to read the advisory at gitlab.gnome.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-24928. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 216663 (Debian dla-4064 : libxml2 - security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 2.12.10, 2.13.6 or 2.14.0 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 8c8753ad5280ee13aee5eec9b0f6eee2ed920f57 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at gitlab.gnome.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (216663) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0403). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• IBM VIOS
• IBM AIX
• Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Fedora Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Dell Data Protection Advisor
• IBM Power Hardware Management Console
• NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
• IBM App Connect Enterprise
• Dell NetWorker
• IBM MQ
• Dell Avamar
• NetApp Data ONTAP
• Open Source libxml2
• Red Hat OpenShift
• Red Hat JBoss Core Services
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• IGEL OS
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Dell PowerScale
• Open Source Fluentd

Productinfo

Type

• Document Processing Software

Vendor

• xmlsoft

Name

• libxml2

Version

• 2.12.0
• 2.12.1
• 2.12.2
• 2.12.3
• 2.12.4
• 2.12.5
• 2.12.6
• 2.12.7
• 2.12.8
• 2.12.9
• 2.13.0
• 2.13.1
• 2.13.2
• 2.13.3
• 2.13.4
• 2.13.5

License

• open-source

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
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CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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Entryinfo

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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