# CVE-2012-6531: Zend Framework XEE Vulnerability

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files or create TCP connections via XXE injection in Zend Framework XML-RPC requests.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Feb 2013
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h5p3-7mg6-hgj4, UBUNTU-CVE-2012-6531

## What is CVE-2012-6531?

CVE-2012-6531 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Feb 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

(1) Zend_Dom, (2) Zend_Feed, and (3) Zend_Soap in Zend Framework 1.x before 1.11.13 and 1.12.x before 1.12.0 do not properly handle SimpleXMLElement classes, which allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files or create TCP connections via an external entity reference in a DOCTYPE element in an XML-RPC request, aka an XML external entity (XXE) injection attack, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-3363.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-6531?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including zendframework/zendframework1. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zendframework/zendframework1` | Packagist | From 1.0 | 1.11.13 |
| `zendframework/zendframework1` | Packagist | From 1.0 | 1.11.13 |
| `zendframework/zendframework1` | Packagist | From 1.12.0-rc1 | 1.12.0 |
| `zendframework/zendframework1` | Packagist | From 1.12.0-rc1 | 1.12.0 |

Products: Zend Zend Framework.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-6531?

Upgrade zendframework/zendframework1 to a fixed version for your release line: 1.11.13 or 1.12.0.

## Is CVE-2012-6531 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6531 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-29312](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-29312/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-1555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1555/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2015-1786](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1786/): Zend Framework CSRF Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2015-7503](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-7503/): Zend Framework Information Disclosure (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2014-2685](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2685/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-6531 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-6531 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Feb 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6531 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- zendframework/zendframework1 (Packagist): affected from 1.0; fixed in 1.11.13
- zendframework/zendframework1 (Packagist): affected from 1.0; fixed in 1.11.13
- zendframework/zendframework1 (Packagist): affected from 1.12.0-rc1; fixed in 1.12.0
- zendframework/zendframework1 (Packagist): affected from 1.12.0-rc1; fixed in 1.12.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6531/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6531/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-6531
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-6531
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-6531

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6531/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.