Summary
xml2rfc has file inclusion irregularities
Version 3.12.0 changed xml2rfc so that it would not access local files without the presence of its new --allow-local-file-access flag.
This prevented XML External Entity (XXE) injection attacks with xinclude and XML entity references.
It was discovered that xml2rfc does not respect --allow-local-file-access when a local file is specified as src in artwork or sourcecode elements. Furthermore, XML entity references can include any file inside the source dir and below without using the --allow-local-file-access flag.
The xml2rfc <= 3.26.0 behaviour:
xinclude |
XML entity reference | artwork src= |
sourcecode src= |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
without --allow-local-file-access flag |
No filesystem access | Any file in xml2rfc templates dir and below, any file in source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |
with --allow-local-file-access flag |
Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |
[^1]: Access any file of the filesystem with the permissions of the user running xml2rfc can access.
The proposed new behaviour
- Generalize file access checks.
- Only allow access to files within src dir and below. (xml entity include can access templates dir).
- Always allow access to
templates_dirfor XML entity includes.
New behaviour:
xinclude |
XML entity reference | artwork src= |
sourcecode src= |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
without --allow-local-file-access flag |
No filesystem access | No filesystem access (except for templates_dir) |
No filesystem access | No filesystem access |
with --allow-local-file-access flag |
Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below (Can accesstemplates_dir). |
Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |
Workarounds
Use a secure temporary directory to process un-trusted XML files, and do not reuse it for processing other XML documents.
Impact
Anyone running xml2rfc as a service that accepts input from external users is impacted by this issue.
Specifying a file in src attribute in artwork or sourcecode elements will cause the contents of that file to appear in xml2rfc’s output results.
But that file has to be inside the same directory as the XML input source file.
For artwork and sourcecode, xml2rfc will not look above the source file directory.
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3? GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in xml2rfc (pip), affecting versions >= 3.12.0, < 3.27.0. It is fixed in 3.27.0. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of xml2rfc are affected by GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3? xml2rfc (pip) versions >= 3.12.0, < 3.27.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3? Yes. GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3 is fixed in 3.27.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3 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 GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3 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 GHSA-432C-WXPG-M4Q3? Upgrade
xml2rfcto 3.27.0 or later.