CVE-2003-1564
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which...
CVE-2003-1564 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Xmlsoft Libxml2, published December 31, 2003. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.55%, the 75th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
- Severity
- 6.5 MediumCVSS 3.1, NVD
- Exploit chance
- 1.55%EPSS, 75th percentile
- Exploitation
- None knownNot on CISA’s or ENISA’s lists
- Fixed in
- No fix listedNo source names one
Description
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references, aka the "billion laughs attack."
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
libxml2Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-pythonRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-pythonRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-pythonRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
libxml2-pythonRed Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws From an advisory covering 2 CVEs | before 0:2.4.19-11.ent | 0:2.4.19-11.ent |
What each source reports
NVD Score used
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references, aka the "billion laughs attack."
- Record
CVE-2003-1564- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 9.3 High
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-776
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE ListNo score
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references, aka the "billion laughs attack."
- Record
CVE-2003-1564- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2003-1554No score
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references, aka the "billion laughs attack."
- Record
EUVD-2003-1554- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-6wfm-7hqx-39wg
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which...
libxml2, possibly before 2.5.0, does not properly detect recursion during entity expansion, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML document containing a large number of nested entity references, aka the "billion laughs attack."
- Record
GHSA-6wfm-7hqx-39wg- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-776
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
References
secunia.com/advisories/31868
xmlsoft.org/news.html
stylusstudio.com/xmldev/200302/post20020.html
reddit.com/r/programming/comments/65843/time_to_upgrade_libxml2
mail.gnome.org/archives/xml/2008-August/msg00034.html
redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0886.html
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nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-1564
github.com/advisories/GHSA-6wfm-7hqx-39wg
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2008:0886
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=461015
security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2008/rhsa-2008_0886.json
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-1564