CVE-2026-22186 Bio-Formats <= 8.3.0 XXE in Leica XLEF Metadata Parser
Attackers can exploit an XXE vulnerability in Bio-Formats to read local files or cause denial of service via crafted Leica metadata files.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-22186?
CVE-2026-22186 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Open Microscopy Environment Bio-Formats, published on 7 Jan 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Bio-Formats versions up to and including 8.3.0 contain an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in the Leica Microsystems metadata parsing component (e.g., XLEF). The parser uses an insecurely configured DocumentBuilderFactory when processing Leica XML-based metadata files, allowing external entity expansion and external DTD loading. A crafted metadata file can trigger outbound network requests (SSRF), access local system resources where readable, or cause a denial of service during XML parsing.
Weakness: CWE-611
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-22186?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including ome:pom-bio-formats. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
ome:pom-bio-formats Maven | All versions to 8.3.0 | None |
ome:pom-bio-formats Maven | All versions to 8.3.0 | None |
Products include Openmicroscopy Bio-Formats.
How do I fix CVE-2026-22186?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-22186 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-22186 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-22186 exists.
Other vulnerabilities in Open Microscopy Environment Bio-Formats
Sources
Also known as GHSA-fcqj-76g3-q7qm, GHSA-x9vc-qh97-8gjp.