XML External Entity (XXE) via Unsanitized Dictionary Parsing in Apache OpenNLP DictionaryEntryPersistor Versions Affected: before 2.5.9, before 3.0.0-M3 Description: The DictionaryEntryPersistor class initializes a static SAXParserFactory at class-load time without enabling FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING or disabling DTD processing. When create(InputStream, EntryInserter) is invoked, the only feature set on the XMLReader is namespace support — external entity resolution and DOCTYPE declarations remain fully enabled. An attacker who can supply a crafted dictionary file (e.g., a stop-word list or domain dictionary) containing a malicious DOCTYPE declaration can trigger local file disclosure via file:// entity references or server-side request forgery via http:// entity references during SAX parsing, before the application processes a single dictionary entry. This is inconsistent with the project's own XmlUtil.createSaxParser() helper, which correctly sets FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING and disallow-doctype-decl and is used by all other XML parsing paths in the codebase. The public Dictionary(InputStream) constructor delegates directly to this method and is the documented API for loading user-supplied dictionaries, making untrusted input a realistic scenario. Mitigation: 2.x users should upgrade to 2.5.9. 3.x users should upgrade to 3.0.0-M3. Users who cannot upgrade immediately should ensure that all dictionary files are sourced from trusted origins and should consider wrapping the Dictionary(InputStream) constructor with input validation that rejects any XML containing a DOCTYPE declaration before it reaches the parser.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - XML External Entity (XXE) via Unsanitized Dictionary Parsing in Apache OpenNLP DictionaryEntryPersistor
    Versions Affected: before 2.5.9, before 3.0.0-M3 Description: The DictionaryEntryPersistor class
    initializes a static SAXParserFactory at class-load time without enabling FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING or
    disabling DTD processing. When create(InputStream, EntryInserter) is invoked, the only feature set on the
    XMLReader is namespace support — external entity resolution and DOCTYPE declarations remain fully enabled.
    An attacker who can supply a crafted dictionary file (e.g., a stop-word list or domain dictionary)
    containing a malicious DOCTYPE declaration can trigger local file disclosure via file:// entity references
    or server-side request forgery via http:// entity references during SAX parsing, before the application
    processes a single dictionary entry. This is inconsistent with the project's own XmlUtil.createSaxParser()
    helper, which correctly sets FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING and disallow-doctype-decl and is used by all other
    XML parsing paths in the codebase. The public Dictionary(InputStream) constructor delegates directly to
    this method and is the documented API for loading user-supplied dictionaries, making untrusted input a
    realistic scenario. Mitigation: 2.x users should upgrade to 2.5.9. 3.x users should upgrade to 3.0.0-M3.
    Users who cannot upgrade immediately should ensure that all dictionary files are sourced from trusted
    origins and should consider wrapping the Dictionary(InputStream) constructor with input validation that
    rejects any XML containing a DOCTYPE declaration before it reaches the parser. (CVE-2026-40682)

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

  - XML External Entity (XXE) via Unsanitized Dictionary Parsing in Apache OpenNLP DictionaryEntryPersistor     Versions Affected: before 2.5.9, before 3.0.0-M3 Description: The DictionaryEntryPersistor class     initializes a static SAXParserFactory at class-load time without enabling FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING or     disabling DTD processing. When create(InputStream, EntryInserter) is invoked, the only feature set on the     XMLReader is namespace support  external entity resolution and DOCTYPE declarations remain fully enabled.
    An attacker who can supply a crafted dictionary file (e.g., a stop-word list or domain dictionary)     containing a malicious DOCTYPE declaration can trigger local file disclosure via file:// entity references     or server-side request forgery via http:// entity references during SAX parsing, before the application     processes a single dictionary entry. This is inconsistent with the project's own XmlUtil.createSaxParser()     helper, which correctly sets FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING and disallow-doctype-decl and is used by all other     XML parsing paths in the codebase. The public Dictionary(InputStream) constructor delegates directly to     this method and is the documented API for loading user-supplied dictionaries, making untrusted input a     realistic scenario. Mitigation: 2.x users should upgrade to 2.5.9. 3.x users should upgrade to 3.0.0-M3.
    Users who cannot upgrade immediately should ensure that all dictionary files are sourced from trusted     origins and should consider wrapping the Dictionary(InputStream) constructor with input validation that     rejects any XML containing a DOCTYPE declaration before it reaches the parser. (CVE-2026-40682)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
441554	SCA: security update for org.apache.opennlp:opennlp-tools (GHSA-4v8g-86x5-3vrc)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	high
441554	SCA: security update for org.apache.opennlp:opennlp-tools (GHSA-4v8g-86x5-3vrc)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	high
312238	Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-40682	Nessus	Misc.	critical

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2026-40682

high

Tenable Plugins

high

high

critical