CVE-2016-9318

Name: CVE-2016-9318
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2016-11-16T00:59:00.18+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 2.94%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2016-9318 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted document.. EPSS estimates a 2.94% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted document.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS Probability

2.94%

85.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Xmlsoft	Libxml2	<= 2.9.4
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	12.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	14.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	16.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.04

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94347Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=772726Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/lsh123/xmlsec/issues/43Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/04/msg00004.html
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201711-01Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3739-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3739-2/Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94347Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=772726Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/lsh123/xmlsec/issues/43Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/04/msg00004.html
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201711-01Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3739-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3739-2/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Nov 16, 2016
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-9318?

How severe is CVE-2016-9318?

CVE-2016-9318 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.94% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9318?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

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Source: NVD / NIST