# CVE-2023-27874: IBM Aspera Faspex XML external entity injection

> A remote authenticated attacker can exploit an XML external entity injection vulnerability in IBM Aspera Faspex to execute arbitrary commands.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 21 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g822-3v64-2vpm

## What is CVE-2023-27874?

CVE-2023-27874 is a critical vulnerability in IBM Aspera Faspex, published on 21 Mar 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Aspera Faspex 4.4.2 is vulnerable to an XML external entity injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote authenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands.  IBM X-Force ID:  249845.

Weakness: CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-27874?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Aspera Faspex.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-27874?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-27874 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-27874 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27874 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Aspera Faspex

- [CVE-2022-47986](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-47986/): IBM Aspera Faspex Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-14958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14958/): OS command injection in IBM Aspera Faspex (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-14959](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14959/): OS Command Injection in IBM Aspera Faspex (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-14996](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14996/): Multiple vulnerabilities in IBM Aspera Faspex (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2023-37400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37400/): IBM Aspera Faspex privilege escalation (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-27874 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-27874 is a critical vulnerability in IBM Aspera Faspex, published on 21 Mar 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27874 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Aspera Faspex. 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-2023-27874/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27874/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-27874
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27874
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-27874

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27874/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.