CVE-2020-10683

dom4j before 2.0.3 and 2.1.x before 2.1.3 allows external DTDs and External Entities by default, which might enable XXE attacks. However, there is popular external documentation from OWASP showing how to enable the safe, non-default behavior in any application that uses dom4j.

Published: 2020-05-01 Last update: 2024-11-21 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2020-10683 is rated High Risk (70.4/100): CVSS Critical severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 6.96%, 91th percentile). Core evidence: EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. Mandatory action: High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-10683

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-03-17 7.68% 6.96% -0.72%
2 2026-03-04 2.15% 7.68% +5.54%
3 2026-03-01 2.15%

Full EPSS history (44 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-10683

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
9.8 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
3.9 5.9 [email protected]
7.5 2.0 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P)
Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:P)
Partial integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P)
Partial availability impact.
10.0 6.4 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-10683

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2020-10683

GHSA-hwj3-m3p6-hj38 · Severity: critical · Ecosystem: maven — dom4j allows External Entities by default which might enable XXE attacks

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-10683

vendor priority summary link
debian not yet assigned CVE-2020-10683 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (dom4j), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-10683
redhat medium https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-10683
suse high https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-10683/
ubuntu medium CVE-2020-10683 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (dom4j), 17 status rows across 17 suites (bionic, eoan, focal, groovy, hirsute, impish, jammy, kinetic, lunar, mantic, noble, oracular, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): not-affected 10, ignored 2, needed 2, needs-triage 2, released 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-10683

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-10683

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
dom4j_project dom4j < 2.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:dom4j_project:dom4j:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
dom4j_project dom4j >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.3 cpe:2.3:a:dom4j_project:dom4j:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle agile_plm 9.3.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:agile_plm:9.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle agile_plm 9.3.5 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:agile_plm:9.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle application_testing_suite 13.3.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:application_testing_suite:13.3.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle banking_platform >= 2.4.0, <= 2.10.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_platform:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle business_process_management_suite 12.2.1.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:business_process_management_suite:12.2.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle business_process_management_suite 12.2.1.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:business_process_management_suite:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_application_session_controller 3.9m0p1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_application_session_controller:3.9m0p1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_diameter_signaling_router >= 8.0.0, <= 8.2.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_diameter_signaling_router:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle data_integrator 12.2.1.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:data_integrator:12.2.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle data_integrator 12.2.1.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:data_integrator:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle documaker >= 12.6.0, <= 12.6.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:documaker:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle endeca_information_discovery_integrator 3.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:endeca_information_discovery_integrator:3.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle enterprise_data_quality 11.1.1.9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_data_quality:11.1.1.9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle enterprise_data_quality 12.2.1.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_data_quality:12.2.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle enterprise_manager_base_platform 13.4.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_manager_base_platform:13.4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure >= 8.0.6, <= 8.1.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle flexcube_core_banking 11.7.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:flexcube_core_banking:11.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle flexcube_core_banking 11.8.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:flexcube_core_banking:11.8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle flexcube_core_banking 11.9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:flexcube_core_banking:11.9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle flexcube_core_banking 11.10.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:flexcube_core_banking:11.10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle fusion_middleware 12.2.1.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:fusion_middleware:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle health_sciences_empirica_signal 9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:health_sciences_empirica_signal:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle health_sciences_information_manager 3.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:health_sciences_information_manager:3.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_policy_administration_j2ee >= 11.1.0, <= 11.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_policy_administration_j2ee:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_policy_administration_j2ee 10.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_policy_administration_j2ee:10.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_policy_administration_j2ee 10.2.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_policy_administration_j2ee:10.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_policy_administration_j2ee 11.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_policy_administration_j2ee:11.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_rules_palette >= 11.1.0, <= 11.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_rules_palette:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_rules_palette 10.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_rules_palette:10.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_rules_palette 10.2.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_rules_palette:10.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_rules_palette 11.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_rules_palette:11.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle jdeveloper 12.2.1.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:jdeveloper:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management >= 16.1.0.0, <= 16.2.20.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management >= 17.1.0.0, <= 17.12.17.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management >= 18.1.0.0, <= 18.8.19.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management >= 19.12.0.0, <= 19.12.6.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_p6_enterprise_project_portfolio_management:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle rapid_planning 12.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:rapid_planning:12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle rapid_planning 12.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:rapid_planning:12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation 17.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation:17.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation 18.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation:18.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation 19.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_customer_management_and_segmentation_foundation:19.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 15.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_order_broker 15.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_order_broker:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_order_broker 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_order_broker:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_order_broker 18.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_order_broker:18.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_order_broker 19.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_order_broker:19.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_order_broker 19.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_order_broker:19.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_price_management 14.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_price_management:14.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_price_management 14.1.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_price_management:14.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_price_management 15.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_price_management:15.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_price_management 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_price_management:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 15.0.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:15.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 16.0.6 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:16.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 17.0.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:17.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 18.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:18.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle storagetek_tape_analytics_sw_tool 2.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:storagetek_tape_analytics_sw_tool:2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework >= 4.3.0.1.0, <= 4.3.0.6.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 2.2.0.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:2.2.0.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.2.0.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.2.0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.2.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.2.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.4.0.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.4.0.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.4.0.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.4.0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle webcenter_portal 11.1.1.9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:webcenter_portal:11.1.1.9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle webcenter_portal 12.2.1.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:webcenter_portal:12.2.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle webcenter_portal 12.2.1.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:webcenter_portal:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
opensuse leap 15.1 cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp oncommand_api_services cpe:2.3:a:netapp:oncommand_api_services:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp oncommand_workflow_automation cpe:2.3:a:netapp:oncommand_workflow_automation:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp snap_creator_framework cpe:2.3:a:netapp:snap_creator_framework:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp snapcenter cpe:2.3:a:netapp:snapcenter:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp snapmanager cpe:2.3:a:netapp:snapmanager:-:*:*:*:*:oracle:*:*
netapp snapmanager cpe:2.3:a:netapp:snapmanager:-:*:*:*:*:sap:*:*
canonical ubuntu_linux 16.04 cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*

References for CVE-2020-10683

URL Tags
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-05/msg00061.html Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1694235 Issue Tracking Patch Third Party Advisory
https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/XML_External_Entity_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/dom4j/dom4j/commit/a8228522a99a02146106672a34c104adbda5c658 Patch Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/dom4j/dom4j/commits/version-2.0.3 Patch Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/dom4j/dom4j/issues/87 Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/dom4j/dom4j/releases/tag/version-2.1.3 Release Notes Third Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r51f3f9801058e47153c0ad9bc6209d57a592fc0e7aefd787760911b8%40%3Cdev.velocity.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r91c64cd51e68e97d524395474eaa25362d564572276b9917fcbf5c32%40%3Cdev.velocity.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb1b990d7920ae0d50da5109b73b92bab736d46c9788dd4b135cb1a51%40%3Cnotifications.freemarker.apache.org%3E
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200518-0002/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4575-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
cvelogic Threat Intelligence