GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5 — xmlunit-core
Fix: xmlunit/xmlunit@b81d48bGHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5 is a CWE-669 vulnerability in org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core. A fix is available for org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
XMLUnit for Java has Insecure Defaults when Processing XSLT Stylesheets
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
org.xmlunit:xmlunit-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
Impact
When performing XSLT transformations XMLUnit for Java did not disable XSLT extension functions by default. Depending on the XSLT processor being used this could allow arbitrary code to be executed when XMLUnit is used to transform data with a stylesheet who's source can not be trusted. If the stylesheet can be provided externally this may even lead to a remote code execution.
Patches
Users are advised to upgrade to XMLUnit for Java 2.10.0 where the default has been changed by means of https://github.com/xmlunit/xmlunit/commit/b81d48b71dfd2868bdfc30a3e17ff973f32bc15b
Workarounds
XMLUnit's main use-case is performing tests on code that generates or processes XML. Most users will not use it to perform arbitrary XSLT transformations.
Users running XSLT transformations with untrusted stylesheets should explicitly use XMLUnit's APIs to pass in a pre-configured TraX TransformerFactory with extension functions disabled via features and attributes. The required setFactory or setTransformerFactory methods have been available since XMLUnit for Java 2.0.0.
References
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core | all versions | 2.10.0org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core:2.10.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.xmlunit:xmlunit-core to 2.10.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5. 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-chfm-68vv-pvw5 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-chfm-68vv-pvw5 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.