CVE-2019-12401
HIGHCVE-2019-12401 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) CWE-776 vulnerability in org.apache.solr:solr-core. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2019-12401 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Apache Solr vulnerable to XML Bomb
Blast Radius
org.apache.solr:solr-coreReal-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
Solr versions 1.3.0 to 1.4.1, 3.1.0 to 3.6.2 and 4.0.0 to 4.10.4 are vulnerable to an XML resource consumption attack (a.k.a. Lol Bomb) via it’s update handler.?By leveraging XML DOCTYPE and ENTITY type elements, the attacker can create a pattern that will expand when the server parses the XML causing OOMs.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.solr:solr-core | all versions | 5.0.0 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.solr:solr-core. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.solr:solr-core to 5.0.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2019-12401 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2019-12401 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2019-12401. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2019-12401 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2019-12401 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.