CVE-2020-11988 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.2) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons. A fix is available for org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Server-side request forgery (SSRF) in Apache XmlGraphics Commons
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2020-11988 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,738 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commonsReal-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
Apache XmlGraphics Commons 2.4 and earlier is vulnerable to server-side request forgery, caused by improper input validation by the XMPParser. By using a specially-crafted argument, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause the underlying server to make arbitrary GET requests. Users should upgrade to 2.6 or later.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons | all versions | 2.6org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons:2.6 |
Affected Products
xmlgraphics commonsapachefedorafedoraprojectDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.xmlgraphics:xmlgraphics-commons to 2.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2020-11988 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Restrict outbound requests from the affected component to an allowlist of hosts, block access to link-local and internal address ranges at the network layer, and require authentication on internal services so a forged request cannot reach them unauthenticated.
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.
This flaw does not affect xmlgraphics-commons as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. It is out of support scope for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and 7. To learn more about support scope for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, please see https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata/ .
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.Source: Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2020-11988 (CC BY 4.0)
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Fuse 7.10 | xmlgraphics-commons | RHSA-2021:5134 |
| RHDM 7.11.0 | xmlgraphics-commons | RHSA-2021:2476 |
| RHPAM 7.11.0 | xmlgraphics-commons | RHSA-2021:2475 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2020-11988 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.