CycloneDX Core (Java): BOM validation is vulnerable to XML External Entity injection

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.5 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2025-64518: 0.40% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 34.02 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact The XML Validator used by cyclonedx-core-java was not configured securely, making the library vulnerable to XML External Entity (XXE) injection. The fix for GHSA-683x-4444-jxh8 / CVE-2024-38374 has been incomplete in that it only fixed parsing of XML BOMs, but not validation. Patches The vulnerability has been fixed in cyclonedx-core-java version 11.0.1. Workarounds If feasible, applications can reject XML documents before handing them to cyclonedx-core-java for validation. This may be an option if incoming CycloneDX BOMs are known to be in JSON format. References The issue was introduced via https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-core-java/commit/162aa594f347b3f612fe0a45071693c3cd398ce9 The issue was fixed via https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-core-java/pull/737 https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/XMLExternalEntityPreventionCheatSheet.html#schemafactory

Published by the source

10 Nov 2025, 21:04 UTC

Last modified by the source

15 Nov 2025, 02:46 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:41 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-6fhj-vr9j-g45r

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2025-64518

Advisory: CycloneDX Core (Java): BOM validation is vulnerable to XML External Entity injection
IDs: CVE-2025-64518, GHSA-6fhj-vr9j-g45r
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2025-64518 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:41 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.cyclonedx:cyclonedx-core-java 11.0.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.cyclonedx:cyclonedx-core-java: affected >= 2.1.0, < 11.0.1; fixed in 11.0.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.cyclonedx:cyclonedx-core-java: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.cyclonedx:cyclonedx-core-java.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6fhj-vr9j-g45r (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-6fhj-vr9j-g45r lists affected ranges: Maven org.cyclonedx:cyclonedx-core-java >=2.1.0 <11.0.1)

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