Denial of Service Vulnerability in Expat XML Parser by Expat Project

CVE-2016-5300

Summary

The Expat XML parser suffers from a vulnerability that stems from inadequate entropy used during hash initialization. This weakness allows attackers to exploit crafted identifiers within XML documents, leading to substantial CPU consumption and resulting in denial of service. This vulnerability highlights the importance of randomness in cryptographic operations and the ongoing risks posed by incomplete patches, as this issue relates to an earlier vulnerability addressed in CVE-2012-0876. Organizations using Expat should remain vigilant and apply necessary updates to safeguard against such exploits.

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