CVE-2022-46751
📋 TL;DR
Apache Ivy versions before 2.5.2 have an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability that allows attackers to read arbitrary files, access internal resources, or disrupt Ivy's execution when parsing XML files. This affects any system using vulnerable Apache Ivy versions for dependency management. The vulnerability occurs during XML parsing of Ivy configuration files, Ivy files, or Maven POMs.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache Ivy
📦 What is this software?
Ivy by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise through file exfiltration, internal network resource access, and potential remote code execution via malicious DTDs.
Likely Case
Data exfiltration from the server running Ivy, including sensitive configuration files, credentials, or internal network information.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and restricted file system permissions, though XML parsing errors may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
XXE vulnerabilities are well-understood attack vectors with many existing exploitation techniques. The vulnerability requires XML parsing to trigger.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.5.2
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.apache.org/thread/1dj60hg5nr36kjr4p1100dwjrqookps8
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Upgrade Apache Ivy to version 2.5.2 or later. 2. Update build scripts and dependencies to use the new version. 3. Restart any services using Ivy. 4. Verify DTD processing is disabled in your configuration.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Java System Property Configuration
allSet JAXP properties to restrict external DTD processing as described in Oracle's JAXP Security Guide
-Djavax.xml.accessExternalDTD=all
-Djavax.xml.accessExternalSchema=all
-Djavax.xml.accessExternalStylesheet=all
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate Ivy servers from sensitive internal resources
- Apply strict file system permissions to limit what files Ivy can access on the server
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Ivy version with: ivy -version or examine build configuration files for Ivy dependency versionCheck Version:
ivy -versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 2.5.2 or higher and verify DTD processing is disabled in logs during XML parsing📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual XML parsing errors
- Unexpected external network connections during XML processing
- File access patterns from Ivy process
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections to unexpected external DTD URLs
- Data exfiltration patterns from XML parsing operations
SIEM Query:
process_name:"java" AND (process_args:"ivy" OR process_args:"org.apache.ivy") AND (network_outbound:* AND NOT network_outbound:expected_repositories*)🔗 References
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/06/9
- https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/13/security/java-api-xml-processing-jaxp-security-guide.html#GUID-94ABC0EE-9DC8-44F0-84AD-47ADD5340477
- https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf?p=ant-ivy.git;a=commit;h=2be17bc18b0e1d4123007d579e43ba1a4b6fab3d
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/1dj60hg5nr36kjr4p1100dwjrqookps8
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/9gcz4xrsn8c7o9gb377xfzvkb8jltffr
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/06/9
- https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/13/security/java-api-xml-processing-jaxp-security-guide.html#GUID-94ABC0EE-9DC8-44F0-84AD-47ADD5340477
- https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf?p=ant-ivy.git;a=commit;h=2be17bc18b0e1d4123007d579e43ba1a4b6fab3d
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/1dj60hg5nr36kjr4p1100dwjrqookps8
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/9gcz4xrsn8c7o9gb377xfzvkb8jltffr
