Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2024-51132 is a critical-severity Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (CWE-611) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 22% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-51132 and assigned CWE-611, affects HAPI FHIR versions prior to 6.4.0. The flaw resides in the library's XML processing logic and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, reflecting network-accessible attack vectors that require no authentication or user interaction.
An unauthenticated attacker can supply a crafted XML request containing malicious external entities to the affected FHIR endpoints. Successful exploitation enables disclosure of sensitive information from the server or execution of arbitrary code, depending on the runtime environment and parser configuration.
A publicly available proof-of-concept exploit has been posted to GitHub alongside the project's core repository. The associated EPSS score remains flat at 0.0794 with no material increase observed since disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-3191
Vulnerability Data
An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in HAPI FHIR before v6.4.0 allows attackers to access sensitive information or execute arbitrary code via supplying a crafted request containing malicious XML entities.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.5.1V15.3.2
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Secure configuration settings can disable external entity processing in XML parsers.
Developer testing can discover XXE flaws through targeted XML parsing tests.
Input validation can reject or sanitize XML containing external entity references.
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.
Hardened XML parser configurations directly disable external entity resolution.
Secure SDLC practices include input validation and safe XML parser configuration that prevent XXE.
Vulnerability scanning can discover XXE flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.
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.
Security testing in development catches XXE via static analysis and dynamic XML fuzzing.
Vulnerability management identifies and patches XML libraries with unsafe default entity settings.
Secure development life cycle mandates input validation and entity handling that directly prevents XXE.
Application security requirements explicitly call for disabling external entity processing in XML parsers.
Secure architecture principles include safe parser configuration that mitigates external entity risks.
Secure coding standards require disabling DTDs and external entities in XML processing.