CVE-2026-40021
Apache Log4net: Silent log event loss in XmlLayout and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J due to unescaped XML 1.0 forbidden characters
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Apache Log4net: Silent log event loss in XmlLayout and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J due to unescaped XML 1.0 forbidden characters
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40021- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-21488
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
EUVD-2026-21488- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-4f7c-pmjv-c25w
Apache Log4net: Silent log event loss in XmlLayout and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J due to unescaped XML 1.0 forbidden characters
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
GHSA-4f7c-pmjv-c25w- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40021- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Apache Log4net: Silent log event loss in XmlLayout and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J due to unescaped XML 1.0 forbidden characters
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40021- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity. Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-4f7c-pmjv-c25w
Apache Log4net: Silent log event loss in XmlLayout and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J due to unescaped XML 1.0 forbidden characters
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event.
An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
GHSA-4f7c-pmjv-c25w- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-40021
Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity. Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40021- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:L/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
log4netNuGet |
before 3.3.0 | 3.3.0 |
log4netDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-101.2.10+dfsg-9 |
None known |
log4netDebian:14 |
before 1.2.10+dfsg-10, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-9 |
1.2.10+dfsg-10 |
log4netNuGet |
before 3.3.0, plus listed versions 1.2.101.2.112.0.02.0.12.0.10 Show 22 moreShow less2.0.112.0.122.0.132.0.142.0.152.0.162.0.172.0.22.0.32.0.42.0.52.0.62.0.72.0.82.0.93.0.03.0.13.0.23.0.33.0.43.1.03.2.0 |
3.3.0 |
log4netUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-61.2.10+dfsg-71.2.10+dfsg-7ubuntu0.16.04.1 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-71.2.10+dfsg-7ubuntu0.18.04.1 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-71.2.10+dfsg-7ubuntu0.20.04.1 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-8 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-81.2.10+dfsg-9 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-9 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-9build11.2.10+dfsg-10 |
None known |
log4netUbuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.10+dfsg-91.2.10+dfsg-9build1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-40021 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.3) in Apache Log4net, published April 10, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.80%, the 56th percentile. Fixed in log4net 3.3.0.
References
github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/280
logging.apache.org/security.html
lists.apache.org/thread/q8otftjswhk69n3kxslqg7cobr0x4st7
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/10/11
Show 8 moreShow less
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40021
nuget.org/packages
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-40021
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-40021
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40021