Apache Axis2/C: Out-of-bounds read in the Guththila XML reader wrapper (CVE-2026-124023)
Published Last modified Sources: EUVD, BSI, CVE.org
What is affected, what to do
Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability in the Guththila XML parser wrapper of Apache Axis2/C. On some malformed XML input the Guththila parser returned a raw input byte in place of an event code, and the AXIOM reader wrapper used that value as an index into a ten-entry lookup table without checking its range, reading heap memory past the end of the table.
The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below.
- Affected
- Apache Axis2/C
lte *..2.0.0
- Apache Axis2/C
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Metrics
—
XIEM Effective CVSS
No value is available for this vulnerability.
0.0
CVSS v3
Severity Not rated on the scale from 0 to 10.
Source: EUVD, BSI, CVE.org
0.2 %
EPSS score
Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 13.7
Show all metrics
- Severity
- Medium
Priority (0–325)
The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?
Read in glossary- 31.49 Methodology
Exploit maturity
An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.
Read in glossary- no public PoC known
CVSS v3
CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.
Read in glossary- 0.0
EPSS score
The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.
Read in glossary- 0.2 %
- Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
EPSS percentile
The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.
Read in glossary- 13.7
- Elevated — this CVE ranks above at least 10% of all CVEs scored today.
KEV status
The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.
Read in glossary- —
- Published
CWE
CWE is a catalogue of typical weakness types in software and hardware — such as flawed input validation, unsafe memory handling or poor authentication. Where a CVE names a concrete vulnerability in a concrete product, a CWE describes the underlying class of defect.
Read in glossary- CWE-125
Detection rules
No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.
Classification under NIS2 and CRA
Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.
NIS2
NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.
Read in glossary- Handle the vulnerability in regular vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2.
CRA
The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.
Read in glossary- From 11.12.2027, Annex I Part II CRA requires manufacturers of affected products with digital elements to handle vulnerabilities without delay and provide security updates.
ISO/IEC 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.
Read in glossary- Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.
Description
Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability in the Guththila XML parser wrapper of Apache Axis2/C. On some malformed XML input the Guththila parser returned a raw input byte in place of an event code, and the AXIOM reader wrapper used that value as an index into a ten-entry lookup table without checking its range, reading heap memory past the end of the table. An unauthenticated client could trigger this by sending a crafted XML request to a server built with Guththila, the default parser, causing the request to be parsed incorrectly or, in some cases, the process to crash. The memory read is not returned to the client. This issue affects Apache Axis2/C: through 2.0.0. The fix is available in commits 23110287924e79d05a5b4712298c355d1f05c606 and f01683ec10e8fddb87279ec9351b3239021223e6 and will be included in the next release.
Source: ENISA EUVD, BSI WID Portal, NVD (NIST), cvelistv5, BSI CSAF, CVE.org (MITRE)
Affected products
The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.
| Affected versions | Fixed in | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation | Apache Axis2/C |
|
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| Apache | Axis2 |
|
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Vendors and products
Weakness classes (CWE)
CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
Base
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
Entry at MITRE CWE-125
References & sources
- github.comapache/axis-axis2-c-core/commit/23110287924e79d05a5b4712298c355…euvd, Patch
- github.comapache/axis-axis2-c-core/commit/f01683ec10e8fddb87279ec9351b323…euvd, Patch
- lists.apache.orgthread/yzmshl8n819pfy2f3p07r9swgh0b3dfzeuvd, Vendor advisory
- openwall.comlists/oss-security/2026/11/12/1euvd
- NVD (NIST)vuln/detail/CVE-2026-124023euvd
Changes to this CVE
Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).
Record modifiedCVE Program
New references:Show the original change
Individual changes of this event as published by NVD Type Action Before After Reference added —http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/11/12/1Source identifier: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
ReceivedApache
Weakness type: CWE-125
Description added or changed
Show 6 original changes
Individual changes of this event as published by NVD Type Action Before After Description added —Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability in the Guththila XML parser wrapper of Apache Axis2/C. On some malformed XML input the Guththila parser returned a raw input byte in place of an event code, and the AXIOM reader wrapper used that value as an index into a ten-entry lookup table without checking its range, reading heap memory past the end of the table. An unauthenticated client could trigger this by sending a crafted XML request to a server built with Guththila, the default parser, causing the request to be parsed incorrectly or, in some cases, the process to crash. The memory read is not returned to the client. This issue affects Apache Axis2/C: through 2.0.0. The fix is available in commits 23110287924e79d05a5b4712298c355d1f05c606 and f01683ec10e8fddb87279ec9351b3239021223e6 and will be included in the next release.Weakness type (CWE) added —CWE-125Affected versions (publisher) added —New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/124xxx/CVE-2026-124023.json">CVE-2026-124023</a>Reference added —https://github.com/apache/axis-axis2-c-core/commit/23110287924e79d05a5b4712298c355d1f05c606Reference added —https://github.com/apache/axis-axis2-c-core/commit/f01683ec10e8fddb87279ec9351b3239021223e6Reference added —https://lists.apache.org/thread/yzmshl8n819pfy2f3p07r9swgh0b3dfzSource identifier: security@apache.org
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