How severe is CVE-2009-1699?

CVE-2009-1699 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2009-1699 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 29% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-1699?

CVE-2009-1699 primarily affects Apple Safari. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-1699?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2009-1699 published?

CVE-2009-1699 was published on 2009-06-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-1699

CVE-2009-1699 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Safari with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 29% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-611.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 7.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 29% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-611
Affected product: Apple Safari
Published: 2009-06-10
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The XSL stylesheet implementation in WebKit in Apple Safari before 4.0, iPhone OS 1.0 through 2.2.1, and iPhone OS for iPod touch 1.1 through 2.2.1 does not properly handle XML external entities, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted DTD, as demonstrated by a file:///etc/passwd URL in an entity declaration, related to an "XXE attack."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-1699?: The XSL stylesheet implementation in WebKit in Apple Safari before 4.0, iPhone OS 1.0 through 2.2.1, and iPhone OS for iPod touch 1.1 through 2.2.1 does not properly handle XML external entities, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted DTD, as demonstrated by a file:///etc/passwd URL in an entity declaration, related to an "XXE attack."
How severe is CVE-2009-1699?: CVE-2009-1699 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2009-1699 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 29% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-1699?: CVE-2009-1699 primarily affects Apple Safari. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-1699?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2009-1699 published?: CVE-2009-1699 was published on 2009-06-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:a:apple:safari:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:8.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:9.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:11.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:11.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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