Summary
Apache SOAP's RPCRouterServlet allows reading of arbitrary files over HTTP
An Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference vulnerability in RPCRouterServlet of Apache SOAP allows an attacker to read arbitrary files over HTTP. This issue affects Apache SOAP version 2.2 and later versions. It is unknown whether previous versions are also affected. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
Impact
An XML parser processes external entity references in untrusted input, causing the server to fetch internal resources or remote URLs. Typical impact: local file disclosure, server-side request forgery, or denial of service.
CVE-2022-40705 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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In the interim: Disable external entity and DTD processing in your XML parser configuration.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-40705? CVE-2022-40705 is a high-severity XML external entity injection (XXE) vulnerability in soap:soap (maven), affecting versions >= 2.2, <= 2.3.1. No fixed version is listed yet. An XML parser processes external entity references in untrusted input, causing the server to fetch internal resources or remote URLs.
- How severe is CVE-2022-40705? CVE-2022-40705 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of soap:soap are affected by CVE-2022-40705? soap:soap (maven) versions >= 2.2, <= 2.3.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-40705? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2022-40705 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2022-40705 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-40705 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2022-40705 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2022-40705? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Disable external entity and DTD processing in your XML parser configuration.