VulnerabilityPublished 18 Nov 2024Updated 20 Oct 2025

CVE-2024-50848: Import object · An XML External Entity (XXE)

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.5 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

6.5Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 1.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 68% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: None
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: Required: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Nov 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-50848, organizations should take specific actions beyond generic advice: 1) Disable XML external entity processing in the XML parser configurations used by WorldServer if possible, or apply secure parser settings that prevent external entity resolution. 2) Implement strict validation and sanitization of all imported .tmx files, including scanning for malicious XML constructs before processing. 3) Restrict import functionality to trusted users and enforce strict access controls and logging to detect suspicious import activities. 4) Employ network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of any potential compromise. 5) Monitor system logs and file access patterns for anomalies indicative of XXE exploitation attempts. 6) Engage with the vendor for patches or updates and apply them promptly once available. 7) Educate users on the risks of importing files from untrusted sources to reduce the likelihood of social engineering exploitation. 8) Consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) or web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block XXE payloads. These targeted measures will help reduce the attack surface and improve detection capabilities.

Description

An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in the Import object and Translation Memory import functionalities of WorldServer v11.8.2 to access sensitive information and execute arbitrary commands via supplying a crafted .tmx file.

Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-50848 can be significant, particularly for those in sectors handling sensitive information such as legal, financial, healthcare, and governmental translation services. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential documents, intellectual property, or personal data, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Although the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the confidentiality breach alone can result in reputational damage, regulatory fines, and loss of client trust. Since the attack requires user interaction (importing a malicious .tmx file), social engineering or insider threats could facilitate exploitation. Organizations with automated or bulk import processes may be at higher risk if proper validation is not enforced. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for proactive defense, but also means attackers may develop exploits soon after disclosure. The medium severity rating indicates that while the threat is serious, it is not immediately critical, allowing time for mitigation planning. However, the widespread use of WorldServer in European localization markets increases the potential attack surface.

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessOWASP Top 10 A02:2025: Security Misconfiguration (opens in a new tab)
The product processes an XML document that can contain XML entities with URIs that resolve to documents outside of the intended sphere of control, causing the product to embed incorrect documents into its output.
Implementation · System Configuration
Many XML parsers and validators can be configured to disable external entity expansion.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Deserialization (opens in a new tab)
XML Security (opens in a new tab)
XML External Entity Prevention (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V5.5.2 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Data Serialization External Entities Blowup (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 20 Oct 2025, 15:52 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-611

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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