{"id":"GHSA-432c-wxpg-m4q3","aliases":[],"status":"published","title":"xml2rfc has file inclusion irregularities","description":"Version [3.12.0](https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#3120---2021-12-08) changed `xml2rfc` so that it would not access local files without the presence of its new `--allow-local-file-access` flag.\nThis prevented XML External Entity (XXE) injection attacks with `xinclude` and XML entity references.\n\nIt was discovered that `xml2rfc` does not respect `--allow-local-file-access` when a local file is specified as `src` in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements. Furthermore, XML entity references can include any file inside the source dir and below without using the `--allow-local-file-access` flag. \n\nThe `xml2rfc \u003c= 3.26.0` behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | Any file in xml2rfc templates dir and below, any file in source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n  [^1]: Access any file of the filesystem with the permissions of the user running `xml2rfc` can access.\n\n### Impact\n\nAnyone running `xml2rfc` as a service that accepts input from external users is impacted by this issue.\nSpecifying a file in `src` attribute in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements will cause the contents of that file to appear in xml2rfc’s output results.\nBut that file has to be inside the same directory as the XML input source file.\nFor `artwork` and `sourcecode`, `xml2rfc` will not look above the source file directory.\n\n### The proposed new behaviour\n- Generalize file access checks.\n- Only allow access to files within src dir and below. (xml entity include can access templates dir).\n- Always allow access to `templates_dir` for XML entity includes.\n\nNew behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | No filesystem access _(except for `templates_dir`)_ | No filesystem access | No filesystem access |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below _(Can access`templates_dir`)._ | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n### Workarounds\n\nUse a secure temporary directory to process un-trusted XML files, and do not reuse it for processing other XML documents.","severity":{"version":"4.0","score":6.9,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"medium","from":"ghsa"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-22"],"published":"2025-02-07T20:32:27Z","modified":"2025-02-07T20:36:32Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"xml2rfc","fixed_in":["3.27.0"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"xml2rfc","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"3.12.0"},{"fixed":"3.27.0"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"xml2rfc","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"3.12.0"},{"fixed":"3.27.0"}]}],"versions":["3.12.0","3.12.1","3.12.10","3.12.2","3.12.3","3.12.4","3.12.5","3.12.6","3.12.7","3.12.8","3.12.9","3.13.0","3.13.1","3.14.0","3.14.1","3.14.2","3.15.0","3.15.1","3.15.2","3.15.3","3.16.0","3.17.0","3.17.1","3.17.2","3.17.3","3.17.4","3.17.5","3.18.0","3.18.1","3.18.2","3.19.0","3.19.1","3.19.2","3.19.3","3.19.4","3.20.0","3.20.1","3.21.0","3.22.0","3.23.0","3.23.1","3.23.2","3.24.0","3.25.0","3.26.0"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc/security/advisories/GHSA-432c-wxpg-m4q3","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc/commit/ec98f9cb4b9a8658222117df037dda473ca3f4e4","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-432c-wxpg-m4q3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc","tags":["package"]}],"sources":{"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-432c-wxpg-m4q3","title":"xml2rfc has file inclusion irregularities","description":"Version [3.12.0](https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#3120---2021-12-08) changed `xml2rfc` so that it would not access local files without the presence of its new `--allow-local-file-access` flag.\nThis prevented XML External Entity (XXE) injection attacks with `xinclude` and XML entity references.\n\nIt was discovered that `xml2rfc` does not respect `--allow-local-file-access` when a local file is specified as `src` in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements. Furthermore, XML entity references can include any file inside the source dir and below without using the `--allow-local-file-access` flag. \n\nThe `xml2rfc \u003c= 3.26.0` behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | Any file in xml2rfc templates dir and below, any file in source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n  [^1]: Access any file of the filesystem with the permissions of the user running `xml2rfc` can access.\n\n### Impact\n\nAnyone running `xml2rfc` as a service that accepts input from external users is impacted by this issue.\nSpecifying a file in `src` attribute in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements will cause the contents of that file to appear in xml2rfc’s output results.\nBut that file has to be inside the same directory as the XML input source file.\nFor `artwork` and `sourcecode`, `xml2rfc` will not look above the source file directory.\n\n### The proposed new behaviour\n- Generalize file access checks.\n- Only allow access to files within src dir and below. (xml entity include can access templates dir).\n- Always allow access to `templates_dir` for XML entity includes.\n\nNew behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | No filesystem access _(except for `templates_dir`)_ | No filesystem access | No filesystem access |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below _(Can access`templates_dir`)._ | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n### Workarounds\n\nUse a secure temporary directory to process un-trusted XML files, and do not reuse it for processing other XML documents.","status":"published","published":"2025-02-07T20:32:27Z","modified":"2025-02-07T20:33:50Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":6.9,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-22"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:38:29.866763Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"GHSA-432c-wxpg-m4q3","title":"xml2rfc has file inclusion irregularities","description":"Version [3.12.0](https://github.com/ietf-tools/xml2rfc/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#3120---2021-12-08) changed `xml2rfc` so that it would not access local files without the presence of its new `--allow-local-file-access` flag.\nThis prevented XML External Entity (XXE) injection attacks with `xinclude` and XML entity references.\n\nIt was discovered that `xml2rfc` does not respect `--allow-local-file-access` when a local file is specified as `src` in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements. Furthermore, XML entity references can include any file inside the source dir and below without using the `--allow-local-file-access` flag. \n\nThe `xml2rfc \u003c= 3.26.0` behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | Any file in xml2rfc templates dir and below, any file in source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access any file on filesystem[^1] | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n  [^1]: Access any file of the filesystem with the permissions of the user running `xml2rfc` can access.\n\n### Impact\n\nAnyone running `xml2rfc` as a service that accepts input from external users is impacted by this issue.\nSpecifying a file in `src` attribute in `artwork` or `sourcecode` elements will cause the contents of that file to appear in xml2rfc’s output results.\nBut that file has to be inside the same directory as the XML input source file.\nFor `artwork` and `sourcecode`, `xml2rfc` will not look above the source file directory.\n\n### The proposed new behaviour\n- Generalize file access checks.\n- Only allow access to files within src dir and below. (xml entity include can access templates dir).\n- Always allow access to `templates_dir` for XML entity includes.\n\nNew behaviour:\n\n|  | `xinclude` | XML entity reference | `artwork src=` | `sourcecode src=` |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| without `--allow-local-file-access` flag | No filesystem access | No filesystem access _(except for `templates_dir`)_ | No filesystem access | No filesystem access |\n| with `--allow-local-file-access` flag | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below _(Can access`templates_dir`)._ | Access source directory and below | Access source directory and below |\n\n### Workarounds\n\nUse a secure temporary directory to process un-trusted XML files, and do not reuse it for processing other XML documents.","status":"published","published":"2025-02-07T20:32:27Z","modified":"2025-02-07T20:36:32.770761Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":6.9,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-22"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:36.434231Z"}]}}