How severe is CVE-2016-8739?

CVE-2016-8739 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10, rated HIGH. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2016-8739?

CVE-2016-8739 affects the following packages: org.apache.cxf:cxf-core (Maven), org.apache.cxf:cxf-core (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2016-8739?

Update org.apache.cxf:cxf-core to 3.0.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2016-8739 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2016-8739 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.cxf:cxf-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2016-8739 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is CVE-2016-8739 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2016-8739 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2016-8739?

CVE-2016-8739 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 7.3%, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2016-8739?

CVE-2016-8739 is classified as XML External Entity (XXE) (CWE-611). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2016-8739 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2016-8739 was published on August 10, 2017 and was last updated on October 24, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

HIGH severity

CVE-2016-8739 — cxf-core

HIGHFix: apache/cxf@8e4970d

CVE-2016-8739 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf-core. A fix is available for org.apache.cxf:cxf-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in Apache CXF JAX-RS

Also known asGHSA-x7xf-253v-x3w8

Published

Aug 10, 2017

Updated

Oct 24, 2026

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 5, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

7.3%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs94th percentile — riskier than 94% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

☕org.apache.cxf:cxf-core☕org.apache.cxf:cxf-core

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

The JAX-RS module in Apache CXF prior to 3.0.12 and 3.1.x prior to 3.1.9 provides a number of Atom JAX-RS MessageBodyReaders. These readers use Apache Abdera Parser which expands XML entities by default which represents a major XXE risk.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.cxf:cxf-core`	all versions	3.0.12`org.apache.cxf:cxf-core:3.0.12`
☕Maven	`org.apache.cxf:cxf-core`	≥ 3.1.0&&< 3.1.9	3.1.9`org.apache.cxf:cxf-core:3.1.9`

Affected Products

1 product · 10 configurations

Application

cxfapache

≤ 3.0.11

9 versions

3.1.03.1.13.1.23.1.33.1.43.1.53.1.63.1.73.1.8

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.cxf:cxf-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.cxf:cxf-core to 3.0.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2016-8739 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Fixing This On Your OS

If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.

Red HatModerate

RHSA-2017:0868Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6.3

Frequently Asked Questions

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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