AssertJ provides Fluent testing assertions for Java and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Starting in version 1.4.0 and prior to version 3.27.7, an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in `org.assertj.core.util.xml.XmlStringPrettyFormatter`: the `toXmlDocument(String)` method initializes `DocumentBuilderFactory` with default settings, without disabling DTDs or external entities. This formatter is used by the `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` assertion for `CharSequence` values. An application is vulnerable only when it uses untrusted XML input with either `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` from `org.assertj.core.api.AbstractCharSequenceAssert` or `xmlPrettyFormat(String)` from `org.assertj.core.util.xml.XmlStringPrettyFormatter`. If untrusted XML input is processed by tone of these methods, an attacker couldnread arbitrary local files via `file://` URIs (e.g., `/etc/passwd`, application configuration files); perform Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) via HTTP/HTTPS URIs, and/or cause Denial of Service via "Billion Laughs" entity expansion attacks. `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` has been deprecated in favor of XMLUnit in version 3.18.0 and will be removed in version 4.0. Users of affected versions should, in order of preference: replace `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` with XMLUnit, upgrade to version 3.27.7, or avoid using `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` or `XmlStringPrettyFormatter` with untrusted input. `XmlStringPrettyFormatter` has historically been considered a utility for `isXmlEqualTo(CharSequence)` rather than a feature for AssertJ users, so it is deprecated in version 3.27.7 and removed in version 4.0, with no replacement.
https://github.com/assertj/assertj/security/advisories/GHSA-rqfh-9r24-8c9r
https://github.com/assertj/assertj/releases/tag/assertj-build-3.27.7
https://github.com/assertj/assertj/commit/85ca7eb6609bb179c043b85ae7d290523b1ba79a
https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/XML_External_Entity_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html
Published: 2026-01-26
Base Score: 6.4
Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P
Severity: Medium
Base Score: 9.1
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Severity: Critical
Base Score: 8.2
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:L/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N
Severity: High