GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x
MEDIUMXML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in apoc.import.graphml
Blast Radius
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc☕org.neo4j.procedure:apocReal-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
Impact
A XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability found in the apoc.import.graphml procedure of APOC core plugin in Neo4j graph database. XML External Entity (XXE) injection occurs when the XML parser allows external entities to be resolved. The XML parser used by the apoc.import.graphml procedure was not configured in a secure way and therefore allowed this.
External entities can be used to read local files, send HTTP requests, and perform denial-of-service attacks on the application.
Abusing the XXE vulnerability enabled assessors to read local files remotely. Although with the level of privileges assessors had this was limited to one-line files. With the ability to write to the database, any file could have been read. Additionally, assessors noted, with local testing, the server could be crashed by passing in improperly formatted XML.
Patches
The users should aim to use the latest released version compatible with their Neo4j version. The minimum versions containing patch for this vulnerability is 4.4.0.14.
Workarounds
If you cannot upgrade the library, you can control the allowlist of the procedures that can be used in your system.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in neo4j-apoc-procedures
- Email us at [email protected]
Credits
We want to publicly recognise the contribution of Christopher Schneider – State Farm.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | all versions | 4.4.0.14 |
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | ≥ 5.0.0&&< 5.5.0 | 5.5.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.neo4j.procedure:apoc. 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.neo4j.procedure:apoc to 4.4.0.14 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x 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 GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x 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 GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-9vx8-f5c4-862x across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.