How severe is CVE-2017-9096?

CVE-2017-9096 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10, rated HIGH. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2017-9096?

CVE-2017-9096 affects the following packages: com.itextpdf:itextpdf (Maven), com.itextpdf:itextpdf (Maven), com.lowagie:itext (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2017-9096?

Update com.itextpdf:itextpdf to 5.5.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2017-9096 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2017-9096 in my Maven dependencies?

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

How do I mitigate CVE-2017-9096 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-2017-9096 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 2 known exploit references for CVE-2017-9096, including 1 in-the-wild exploitation observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2017-9096?

CVE-2017-9096 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 9.6%, placing it in the 95th 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-2017-9096?

CVE-2017-9096 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-2017-9096 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2017-9096 was published on November 8, 2017 and was last updated on October 26, 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-2017-9096 — itextpdf

HIGH

CVE-2017-9096 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.8) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in com.itextpdf:itextpdf. 2 public exploit or proof-of-concept references are indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for com.itextpdf:itextpdf — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in iText

Also known asGHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx

Published

Nov 8, 2017

Updated

Oct 26, 2026

Affected

3 pkgs

Patched

2 / 3

Exploits

2 known

Exploitation data as of Nov 3, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

9.6%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs95th percentile — riskier than 95% 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

3 pkgs affected

☕com.itextpdf:itextpdf☕com.itextpdf:itextpdf☕com.lowagie:itext

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 XML parsers in iText before 5.5.12 and 7.x before 7.0.3 do not disable external entities, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML external entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted PDF.

Affected Packages

3 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`com.itextpdf:itextpdf`	all versions	5.5.12`com.itextpdf:itextpdf:5.5.12`
☕Maven	`com.itextpdf:itextpdf`	≥ 7.0.0&&< 7.0.3	7.0.3`com.itextpdf:itextpdf:7.0.3`
☕Maven	`com.lowagie:itext`	all versions	No fix

Affected Products

1 product · 4 configurations

Application

itextitextpdf

< 5.5.12

3 versions

7.0.07.0.17.0.2

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

The XML parsers in iText before 5.5.12 and 7.x before 7.0.3 do not disab…

github.comGithubMay 2022

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for com.itextpdf:itextpdf, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update com.itextpdf:itextpdf to 5.5.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2017-9096 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The XML parsers in iText before 5.5.12 and 7.x before 7.0.3 do not disable external entities, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML external entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted PDF.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is CVE-2017-9096 in your dependencies?

Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works

CVSS Score

8.8/10CVSS v3 base

Vector breakdown

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Required

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Raw vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE Classification

CWE-611XML External Entity (XXE)

Weaponization

No Nuclei template or Metasploit module yet. 2 public proof-of-concept references are listed on this page.

Timeline

Disclosed

Nov 8, 2017

First exploit

May 18, 2022

Last updated

Oct 26, 2026

Identifiers

CVE-2017-9096

GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx

References

Advisorysecurityfocus.com · threaded Advisorysupport.hpe.com · display Advisorycompass-security.com · CSNC 2017 017 itext xml external entity attack.txt Advisorynvd.nist.gov · CVE 2017 9096 Weboracle.com · cpuoct2020

Related vulnerabilities

Also affects itextpdf

This CVE is high severity; 1 of 1 other CVE affecting itextpdf is rated as high or higher (top: critical).

CVE-2021-43113

Same weakness: CWE-611

This CVE is high severity; 7 of 7 other CVEs with CWE-611 are rated as high or higher (top: critical).

CVE-2026-108358CVE-2026-108357CVE-2026-61586CVE-2026-61741CVE-2026-61570CVE-2026-55848CVE-2026-54079Browse all CWE-611

Provenance

Sources

OSV.devNVDFIRST.org (EPSS)

Last verifiedOct 26, 2026

CVE-2017-9096 — itextpdf

EPSS Exploitation Probability

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

Description

Affected Packages

Affected Products

Detection & mitigation playbook

Detect

Fix

Workarounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVE-2017-9096 in your dependencies?