Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition in Apache POIGHSA-x9mm-6gpf-f749
GHSA-x9mm-6gpf-f749 is a CWE-399 vulnerability in org.apache.poi:poi. A fix is available for org.apache.poi:poi — see the affected versions and patch details below.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.poi:poiReal-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
HSLFSlideShow in Apache POI before 3.11 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and deadlock) via a crafted PPT file.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.poi:poi | all versions | 3.11org.apache.poi:poi:3.11 |
Affected Products
poiapachefedorafedoraprojectDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.poi:poi, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.poi:poi to 3.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-x9mm-6gpf-f749 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Cap what an attacker can consume: apply request size, rate and timeout limits in front of the affected component, and run it with memory and CPU limits so exhaustion degrades one worker rather than the whole service.
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.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6.2 | apache-poi | RHSA-2016:1135 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-x9mm-6gpf-f749 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.