CVE-2017-16932: xmlsoft libxml2 Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2017-16932 is a high (CVSS 7.5) Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition vulnerability in xmlsoft libxml2. EPSS estimates a 6.45% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 93.7% of scored vulnerabilities.
Severe, CVSS 7.5 (CVE.org); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources; EPSS 6% (FIRST, 03-11-2026)
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 7 · Related 3Timeline
- 23-11-2017PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 14-10-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
parser.c in libxml2 before 2.9.5 does not prevent infinite recursion in parameter entities.
CVSS metrics
9 scores · 6 sources · 3 versions- NVDNIST7.5HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated7.5HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · AlpineEcosystem advisory · calculated7.5HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated7.5HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated7.5HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · RubygemsEcosystem advisory · calculated7.5HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
6.45%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
94%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
Increase +0.52 pp
From 5.93% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Alpine1 product
- clamav< 0.100.1-r0
Debian1 product
- libxml2< 2.9.10+dfsg-2
RubyGems1 product
- nokogiri< 1.8.1
Ubuntu1 product
- libxml2< 2.9.4+dfsg1-6.1ubuntu1.2 | < 2.9.1+dfsg1-3ubuntu4.11 | < 2.9.3+dfsg1-1ubuntu0.4
Xmlsoft1 product
- libxml2≤ 2.9.4
5 vendors · 5 products
References
24 links
- usn.ubuntu.com/3739-1/Vendor Advisory
- github.com/GNOME/libxml2/commit/899a5d9f0ed13b8e32449a08a361e0de127dd961PatchThird Party AdvisoryWEB
