# CVE-2024-8602: XML Eternal Entity Attack in the Software Library taxstatement.jar

> An attacker can exploit XML External Entity vulnerabilities in taxstatement.jar to read files, cause denial of service, or execute code via malicious PDFs.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 18 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8g38-jgjc-p9jh

## What is CVE-2024-8602?

CVE-2024-8602 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Schweizerische Steuerkonferenz Library taxstatement.jar, published on 14 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

When the XML is read from the codes in the PDF and parsed using a DocumentBuilder, the default settings of the DocumentBuilder allow for an XXE (XML External Entity) attack. Further information on this can be found on the website of the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP). An attacker could theoretically leverage this by delivering a manipulated PDF file to the target, and depending on the environment, various actions can be executed. These actions include:

  *  Reading files from the operating system
  *  Crashing the thread handling the parsing or causing it to enter an infinite loop
  *  Executing HTTP requests
  *  Loading additional DTDs or XML files
  *  Under certain conditions, executing OS commands

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-8602?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-8602?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-8602 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-8602 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-8602 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-8602 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-8602 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Schweizerische Steuerkonferenz Library taxstatement.jar, published on 14 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-8602 exists.

Affected product: Schweizerische Steuerkonferenz Library taxstatement.jar. 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-2024-8602/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8602/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-8602
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-8602
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-8602

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8602/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.