IBM Aspera Shares, XML External Entity Injection (XXE), CVE-2025-0162 (Critical)

How the CVE Works:

CVE-2025-0162 is a critical vulnerability in IBM Aspera Shares versions 1.9.9 through 1.10.0 PL7, involving XML External Entity (XXE) injection. This flaw arises when the application processes XML input without proper validation or disabling of external entity references. An authenticated remote attacker can exploit this by crafting a malicious XML file containing external entity references. When parsed, these references can force the application to disclose sensitive information, such as internal files, or cause resource exhaustion by consuming excessive memory. The attack leverages the application’s inability to restrict XML external entity processing, leading to unauthorized data access or denial of service.

DailyCVE Form:

Platform: IBM Aspera Shares
Version: 1.9.9 – 1.10.0 PL7
Vulnerability: XXE Injection
Severity: Critical
Date: 03/07/2025

What Undercode Say:

Exploitation:

1. Craft Malicious XML: Create an XML file with external entity references pointing to sensitive files or URLs.

   <!DOCTYPE foo [bash]>
   <foo>&xxe;</foo>
   

2. Upload XML: Use authenticated access to upload the malicious XML to the vulnerable application.
3. Trigger Parsing: Force the application to parse the XML, extracting sensitive data or causing memory exhaustion.

Protection:

1. Disable External Entities: Configure the XML parser to disable external entity processing.

   DocumentBuilderFactory dbf = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
   dbf.setFeature("http://xml.org/sax/features/external-general-entities", false);
   dbf.setFeature("http://xml.org/sax/features/external-parameter-entities", false);
   

2. Input Validation: Sanitize and validate all XML inputs to prevent malicious payloads.
3. Update Software: Upgrade to a patched version of IBM Aspera Shares beyond 1.10.0 PL7.

Detection:

1. Log Monitoring: Monitor logs for unusual XML parsing activities or memory spikes.

   grep "XML parsing error" /var/log/aspera.log
   

2. Vulnerability Scanning: Use tools like Nessus or OpenVAS to detect vulnerable versions.

   nessuscli scan --target <IP> --policy "XXE Detection"
   

Mitigation Commands:

1. Patch Application: Apply the latest security patches from IBM.

   wget https://ibm.com/aspera/patches/1.10.0_PL8.zip
   unzip 1.10.0_PL8.zip
   ./install.sh
   

2. Restrict Access: Limit access to authenticated users only.

   iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s trusted_ip -j ACCEPT
   iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
   

Analytics:

• CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical)
• Attack Vector: Network
• Exploitability: High
• Impact: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability

References:

• bash
• bash

References:

Reported By: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-0162
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode

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