How severe is CVE-2017-12621?

CVE-2017-12621 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-12621 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 9% (94th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-12621?

CVE-2017-12621 affects Apache Commons Jelly. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12621?

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

When was CVE-2017-12621 published?

CVE-2017-12621 was published on 2017-09-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-12621

CVE-2017-12621 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Apache Commons Jelly with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-611.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 9% (94th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-611
Affected product: Apache Commons Jelly
Published: 2017-09-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

During Jelly (xml) file parsing with Apache Xerces, if a custom doctype entity is declared with a "SYSTEM" entity with a URL and that entity is used in the body of the Jelly file, during parser instantiation the parser will attempt to connect to said URL. This could lead to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks in Apache Commons Jelly before 1.0.1.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12621?: During Jelly (xml) file parsing with Apache Xerces, if a custom doctype entity is declared with a "SYSTEM" entity with a URL and that entity is used in the body of the Jelly file, during parser instantiation the parser will attempt to connect to said URL. This could lead to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks in Apache Commons Jelly before 1.0.1.
How severe is CVE-2017-12621?: CVE-2017-12621 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-12621 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 9% (94th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12621?: CVE-2017-12621 affects Apache Commons Jelly. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12621?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-12621 published?: CVE-2017-12621 was published on 2017-09-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:apache:commons_jelly:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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