Local file reads via enabled external entities
Published Sep 22, 2026 · Updated Sep 22, 2026
XML external entity injection in MerlinReader in MPXJ 5.5.5 through 16.4.0 allows attackers to read local files through crafted Merlin databases. MerlinReader creates a DocumentBuilder with default settings for XML in the ZTIMEINTERVALS column, leaving DOCTYPE declarations and external entities enabled. Exploitation requires an untrusted Merlin project SQLite database to be parsed, and subsequent XML handling makes exfiltration of the file contents unlikely.
Summary
What happened
XML external entity injection in MerlinReader in MPXJ 5.5.5 through 16.4.0 allows attackers to read local files through crafted Merlin databases. MerlinReader creates a DocumentBuilder with default settings for XML in the ZTIMEINTERVALS column, leaving DOCTYPE declarations and external entities enabled. Exploitation requires an untrusted Merlin project SQLite database to be parsed, and subsequent XML handling makes exfiltration of the file contents unlikely.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-61570
- Published
- Sep 22, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 22, 2026
- Vendor
- Jon Iles
- Product
- MPXJ
- Classifications
- CWE-611, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=>= 5.5.5, < 16.4.1
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started