CVE-2022-48565Network attack vector

File disclosure and resource exhaustion via XML entities

Published Aug 22, 2023 · Updated Oct 3, 2024

XXE in Python plistlib through 3.9.1 allows attackers to read local files or exhaust resources via a crafted XML plist. The XML plist parser passes entity declarations to Expat without rejecting them, allowing declared entities to be expanded during parsing. Exploitation requires an application to parse attacker-controlled XML plist data; the bounded consequences are file disclosure and resource exhaustion.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability5.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XXE in Python plistlib through 3.9.1 allows attackers to read local files or exhaust resources via a crafted XML plist. The XML plist parser passes entity declarations to Expat without rejecting them, allowing declared entities to be expanded during parsing. Exploitation requires an application to parse attacker-controlled XML plist data; the bounded consequences are file disclosure and resource exhaustion.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48565
Published
Aug 22, 2023
Updated
Oct 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-611
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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