Service interruption via pathological XML token parsing
Published Jul 16, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Uncontrolled resource consumption in REXML before 3.3.2 allows remote attackers to interrupt service via crafted XML. Multiple BaseParser token recognizers repeatedly scan pathological sequences in character references, declarations, comments, CDATA, and DTD constructs, causing excessive parse time. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled XML to REXML, and the documented consequence is delayed or unavailable processing rather than data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Uncontrolled resource consumption in REXML before 3.3.2 allows remote attackers to interrupt service via crafted XML. Multiple BaseParser token recognizers repeatedly scan pathological sequences in character references, declarations, comments, CDATA, and DTD constructs, causing excessive parse time. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled XML to REXML, and the documented consequence is delayed or unavailable processing rather than data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-39908
- Published
- Jul 16, 2024
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- libwww-perl
- Product
- REXML
- Classifications
- CWE-400, T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 16, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <3.3.2
- Affected versionversion=< 3.3.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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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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