
These are sourced from the ancestor of XML or SGML.Įxample 5- In this example of XXE payload, foo with an element called bar Document Type Definition is an alias for World. Thus, any bar & time is used, and the XML parser replaces the entity with the word World. Document Type Definitions witness XXE vulnerabilities though it is considered legacy. One is DTD or a Document Type Definition and XSD or XML Schema Definition. XML Parser validates XML document if it adheres to this definition before document processing. These XML documents are of a particular type, and the document type can be declared by specifying the type definition. XML can be used to declare attributes, elements, and text. If accepted, the easiest way to get a malicious XML file uploaded Įxample 1- In this case, the attacker tries to extract data from the server.Įxample 2- The attacker probe’s the private network of the server by changing the above entity line to-Įxample 3 – The attacker includes a potentially endless file to use a denial of service attack.Įxample 4- In this example, the simple web application output accepts XML input. It is prudent to note that XXE attacks can occur in several unexpected places like deeply nested dependencies.

It also includes an attack on embedded devices. With time, several public XXE problems have come to light. This vulnerability can be easily understood with the help of pertinent XEE examples. Here are a few that shall help clarify things.


As a result of this attack, denial of service, confidential data disclosure, port scanning from the machine perspective where the parser is located, server-side request forgery, and other system impact results. It is also referred to as XML External Entity Injection. This attack takes place due to web security based vulnerability when a reference to an external entity containing XML input gets possessed by an XML parser that is weakly configured. OWASP defines XML External Entity as an attack against an XML input parsing application. In simple words, an XEE attack is a web security vulnerability using which an attacker interferes with XML Data application processing. It also results in gaining access to remote and local content and services. Attackers use XXE or XML External Entity to cause DoS or Denial of Service. This attack abuses a rarely used but broadly available feature of XML parsers.

An XXE attack is referred to as an attack that takes place against an application parsing XML input.
