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CVE-2020-5227

Feedgen Vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks

4.4 MediumFix available

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
High
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

2.18%Up 0.9 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 4.4

Feedgen Vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Record
CVE-2020-5227
CVSS 3.1
4.4 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-776
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-0079 4.4

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Record
EUVD-2020-0079
CVSS 3.1
4.4 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g8q7-xv52-hf9f 5.9

Feedgen Vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks

Impact

The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb).

This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only.

Patches

This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Workarounds

Updating is strongly recommended and should not be problematic. Nevertheless, as a workaround, avoid providing XML directly to feedgen or ensure that no entity expansion is part of the XML.

References

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-g8q7-xv52-hf9f
CVSS 4.0
5.9 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
4.4 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-776
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 4.4

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Record
CVE-2020-5227
CVSS 3.1
4.4 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0
5.0 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
Weakness
CWE-776
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.5

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Record
CVE-2020-5227
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g8q7-xv52-hf9f 5.9

Feedgen Vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks

Impact

The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb).

This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only.

Patches

This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Workarounds

Updating is strongly recommended and should not be problematic. Nevertheless, as a workaround, avoid providing XML directly to feedgen or ensure that no entity expansion is part of the XML.

References

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-g8q7-xv52-hf9f
CVSS 4.0
5.9 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
4.4 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-776
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2020-231 No score

Feedgen (python feedgen) before 0.9.0 is susceptible to XML Denial of Service attacks. The feedgen library allows supplying XML as content for some of the available fields. This XML will be parsed and integrated into the existing XML tree. During this process, feedgen is vulnerable to XML Denial of Service Attacks (e.g. XML Bomb). This becomes a concern in particular if feedgen is used to include content from untrused sources and if XML (including XHTML) is directly included instead of providing plain tex content only. This problem has been fixed in feedgen 0.9.0 which disallows XML entity expansion and external resources.

Record
PYSEC-2020-231
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
feedgen
PyPI
 before 0.9.0
0.9.0
feedgen
PyPI
 before 0.9.0, plus listed versions
0.10.20.2.10.2.20.2.2.1
Show 17 moreShow less
0.2.30.2.40.2.50.2.60.2.70.2.80.3.00.3.10.3.20.4.00.4.10.5.00.5.10.6.00.6.10.7.00.8.0
0.9.0

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-5227 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.4) in Feedgen Project Feedgen, published January 28, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.18%, the 82nd percentile. Fixed in feedgen 0.9.0.

References

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