Vulnerability · CVE-2016-9318
libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but…
Published Nov 16, 2016 · catalog updated Oct 14, 2026 · the affected product
Check if you run it
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2016-9318. EPSS is 2.94%. Act only if a listed version of the affected product is installed.
Gaps on this record
- No plain product name is stored. The page cannot tell you which product to check.
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- Severity
- Medium5.5
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 2.94%
- Remediation
- Advisory link
- Affected products
- cpe canonical/ubuntu linux · cpe xmlsoft/libxml2
libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted document.
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- cpe canonical/ubuntu linux12.04
- cpe canonical/ubuntu linux14.04
- cpe canonical/ubuntu linux16.04
- cpe canonical/ubuntu linux18.04
- cpe xmlsoft/libxml2version unspecified
How to fix CVE-2016-9318
Recommended remediation
A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2016-9318. EPSS is 2.94%. Act only if a listed version of the affected product is installed.
Which versions are affected?
Compare what you have installed with canonical/ubuntu linux 12.04; canonical/ubuntu linux 14.04; canonical/ubuntu linux 16.04; canonical/ubuntu linux 18.04. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-611: XML External Entity (XXE). EPSS 2.94%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Nov 16, 2016 · NIST NVD
Detected
libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted document.
Oct 14, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted document.
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2016-9318
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2016-9318
30-day exploitation probability 2.94%
first.org - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2016-9318
libxml2 2.9.4 and earlier, as used in XMLSec 1.2.23 and earlier and other products, does not offer a flag directly indicating that the current document may be read but other files may not be opened, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) a
nvd.nist.gov
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 21, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.