Cyber Resilience

CVE-2017-12629

XXE in Apache Solr 5.5.0 – 5.5.4

Public PoCHigh EPSSXXE
Published
14 October 2017
Modified
20 April 2025
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.92 99.8th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2017-12629 is a critical-severity Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (CWE-611) vulnerability in Apache Solr. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A02:2025 Security Misconfiguration

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Remote code execution occurs in Apache Solr before 7.1 with Apache Lucene before 7.1 by exploiting XXE in conjunction with use of a Config API add-listener command to reach the RunExecutableListener class. Elasticsearch, although it uses Lucene, is NOT vulnerable…

more

to this. Note that the XML external entity expansion vulnerability occurs in the XML Query Parser which is available, by default, for any query request with parameters deftype=xmlparser and can be exploited to upload malicious data to the /upload request handler or as Blind XXE using ftp wrapper in order to read arbitrary local files from the Solr server. Note also that the second vulnerability relates to remote code execution using the RunExecutableListener available on all affected versions of Solr.

CWE(s)
CWE-611

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
XXE in the XML Query Parser allows remote exploitation of a public-facing Solr application.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Executionconfidence: HIGH
RunExecutableListener enables arbitrary command execution on the Solr host.
attack.mitre.org →
T1005 Data from Local System Collectionconfidence: MEDIUM
Blind XXE via ftp wrapper can be used to read arbitrary local files from the server.
attack.mitre.org →
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2017-15715Same product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux
CVE-2019-0193Same product: Apache Solr
CVE-2012-3363Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-3823Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2026-3497Same product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux
CVE-2017-14492Same product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux
CVE-2017-14493Same product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux
CVE-2025-3891Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2025-23195Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-68280Same vendor: Apache

Affected Assets

apache
solr
5.5.0 — 5.5.4 · 6.0.0 — 6.6.1 · 7.0.0 — 7.0.1
redhat
jboss enterprise application platform
7.0.0, 7.1.0
debian
debian linux
7.0, 8.0, 9.0
canonical
ubuntu linux
16.04

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.5.1
  • V15.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

CA-8 Penetration Testing
addresses: CWE-611

Penetration testing includes XML external entity payloads, detecting XXE vulnerabilities and enabling their mitigation.

SI-4 System Monitoring
addresses: CWE-611

Identifies XML external entity processing via monitoring of unusual file/network access or resource usage.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-01 mostly match
prevents

Hardened XML parser configurations directly disable external entity resolution.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices include input validation and safe XML parser configuration that prevent XXE.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning can discover XXE flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching eliminates XXE-vulnerable parser versions but is only one aspect of software maintenance.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
detects

Security testing in development catches XXE via static analysis and dynamic XML fuzzing.

A.8.8 Management of technical vulnerabilities mostly match
detects

Vulnerability management identifies and patches XML libraries with unsafe default entity settings.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates input validation and entity handling that directly prevents XXE.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for disabling external entity processing in XML parsers.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles include safe parser configuration that mitigates external entity risks.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards require disabling DTDs and external entities in XML processing.

References