XXE in GitHub Codeql Cli

CVE-2024-25129

The CodeQL CLI repo holds binaries for the CodeQL command line interface (CLI). Prior to version 2.16.3, an XML parser used by the CodeQL CLI to read various auxiliary files is vulnerable to an XML External Entity attack. If a vulnerable version of the CLI is used to process either a maliciously modified CodeQL database, or a specially prepared set of QL query sources, the CLI can be made to make an outgoing HTTP request to an URL that contains material read from a local file chosen by the attacker. This may result in a loss of privacy of exfiltration of secrets. Security researchers and QL authors who receive databases or QL source files from untrusted sources may be impacted. A single untrusted `.ql` or `.qll` file cannot be affected, but a zip archive or tarball containing QL sources may unpack auxiliary files that will trigger an attack when CodeQL sees them in the file system. Those using CodeQL for routine analysis of source trees with a preselected set of trusted queries are not affected. In particular, extracting XML files from a source tree into the CodeQL database does not make one vulnerable. The problem is fixed in release 2.16.3 of the CodeQL CLI. Other than upgrading, workarounds include not accepting CodeQL databases or queries from untrusted sources, or only processing such material on a machine without an Internet connection. Customers who use older releases of CodeQL for security scanning in an automated CI system and cannot upgrade for compliance reasons can continue using that version. That use case is safe. If such customers have a private query pack and use the `codeql pack create` command to precompile them before using them in the CI system, they should be using the production CodeQL release to run `codeql pack create`. That command is safe as long as the QL source it precompiled is trusted. All other development of the query pack should use an upgraded CLI.

Vulnerability class: XXE (XML External Entity)

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 2.7 (Low). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.008 (53.9th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 54th percentile — 53.9% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2024-25129: held from 0.008 to 0.008.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.008 · newest: 0.008 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-25129?
CVE-2024-25129 is a low-severity vulnerability in GitHub Codeql Cli, classified under Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (XXE). CVSS score: 2.7/10. Published 2024-02-22.
How severe is CVE-2024-25129?
Low severity. CVSS v3 base score is 2.7 out of 10.
Is CVE-2024-25129 known to be exploited?
1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.