CVE-2020-13954
MEDIUMCVE-2020-13954 is a medium-severity (CVSS 6.1) Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2020-13954 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Cross-site scripting in Apache CXF
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf☕org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxfReal-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
By default, Apache CXF creates a /services page containing a listing of the available endpoint names and addresses. This webpage is vulnerable to a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack via the styleSheetPath, which allows a malicious actor to inject javascript into the web page. This vulnerability affects all versions of Apache CXF prior to 3.4.1 and 3.3.8. Please note that this is a separate issue to CVE-2019-17573.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf | all versions | 3.3.8 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf | ≥ 3.4.0&&< 3.4.1 | 3.4.1 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | all versions | 3.3.8 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | ≥ 3.4.0&&< 3.4.1 | 3.4.1 |
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.cxf:apache-cxf. 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.cxf:apache-cxf to 3.3.8 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2020-13954 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-2020-13954 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-2020-13954. 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-2020-13954 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2020-13954 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.