# CVE-2016-5971: XML external entity in n/a

> Remote authenticated users can read arbitrary files or cause denial of service via XML External Entity attacks in IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2x7p-4c9v-v356

## What is CVE-2016-5971?

CVE-2016-5971 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 26 Sep 2016. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager (ISPIM) Virtual Appliance 2.x before 2.0.2 FP8 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.

Weakness: CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5971?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5971?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-5971 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-5971 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2016-5963](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5963/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-5957](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5957/): Weak cryptography in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2016-3040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3040/): Open redirect in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2016-5972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5972/): Missing authorization in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2016-5970](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5970/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5971 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5971 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 26 Sep 2016. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2016-5971/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5971/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5971
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5971
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5971

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5971/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.