Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-23195

XXE in Apache Ambari ≤ 2.7.9

XXE
Published
21 January 2025
Modified
09 June 2025
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.5
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:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0073 51th percentile
Risk Priority 59 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-23195 is a high-severity Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (CWE-611) vulnerability in Apache Ambari. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 49% 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.

CVE-2025-23195 is an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability, classified under CWE-611, in the Apache Ambari/Oozie project. The flaw arises from insecure XML parsing using the DocumentBuilderFactory class without disabling external entity resolution, enabling attackers to inject malicious XML entities. It affects versions of Ambari prior to 2.7.9, with the issue resolved in Ambari 2.7.9 and the trunk branch. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), indicating high confidentiality impact.

Remote attackers without authentication or user interaction can exploit this vulnerability over the network by submitting crafted XML input to affected endpoints in Ambari/Oozie. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary file reads on the server, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, credentials, or system data, or enables server-side request forgery (SSRF) to interact with internal services.

Apache advisories, detailed in the provided references including the Apache mailing list announcement and oss-security posting, confirm the fix in Ambari 2.7.9 and the trunk branch. Security practitioners should upgrade to these patched versions and review XML parsing configurations to ensure external entity processing is explicitly disabled using secure DocumentBuilderFactory settings.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A02:2025 Security Misconfiguration

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in the Ambari/Oozie project, allowing an attacker to inject malicious XML entities. This vulnerability occurs due to insecure parsing of XML input using the `DocumentBuilderFactory` class without disabling external entity resolution. An attacker…

more

can exploit this vulnerability to read arbitrary files on the server or perform server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks. The issue has been fixed in both Ambari 2.7.9 and the trunk branch.

CWE(s)
CWE-611

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
attack.mitre.org →
T1213 Data from Information Repositories Collection
Adversaries may leverage information repositories to mine valuable information.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-50380Same product: Apache Ambari
CVE-2023-50378Same product: Apache Ambari
CVE-2025-23196Same product: Apache Ambari
CVE-2024-51941Same product: Apache Ambari
CVE-2023-50379Same product: Apache Ambari
CVE-2026-47898Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2023-48362Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2026-44618Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-54988Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-68280Same vendor: Apache

Affected Assets

apache
ambari
≤ 2.7.9

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

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

CM-6 Configuration Settings good match

Secure configuration settings can disable external entity processing in XML parsers.

SA-11 Developer Testing and Evaluation good match

Developer testing can discover XXE flaws through targeted XML parsing tests.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match

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.

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
finds

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

A.8.8 Management of technical vulnerabilities mostly match
finds

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