CVE-2025-64460 is an algorithmic complexity vulnerability classified under CWE-407 found in Django's XML deserialization component, specifically in the getInnerText() function of django.core.serializers.xml_serializer. This vulnerability exists in Django versions 5.2 before 5.2.9, 5.1 before 5.1.15, and 4.2 before 4.2.27, with earlier unsupported versions potentially affected as well. The flaw allows a remote attacker to submit specially crafted XML input that triggers excessive CPU and memory consumption during deserialization, leading to a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The root cause is inefficient handling of XML input that causes algorithmic complexity to spike, exhausting server resources. Exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, making it accessible to unauthenticated remote attackers. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to web applications relying on vulnerable Django versions for XML data processing. The issue was responsibly disclosed by Seokchan Yoon and is pending patch releases. The impact is primarily on availability, with potential secondary effects on service reliability and user trust. Given Django's widespread use in web development, especially in Europe, this vulnerability could disrupt critical web services if exploited.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a significant risk of denial-of-service attacks against web applications built on affected Django versions. The attack can be launched remotely without authentication, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt services by exhausting server CPU and memory resources. This can lead to downtime, degraded performance, and increased operational costs due to incident response and recovery efforts. Organizations in sectors relying heavily on web applications—such as finance, healthcare, government, and e-commerce—may experience service interruptions affecting customers and users. Additionally, prolonged outages could damage organizational reputation and trust. Since Django is a popular web framework in Europe, especially in countries with strong software development industries, the scope of impact is broad. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as part of multi-vector attacks or combined with other exploits to increase disruption. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially once exploit code becomes publicly available.

1. Upgrade Django to the latest patched versions as soon as they are released (at minimum 5.2.9, 5.1.15, or 4.2.27). 2. Until patches are available, implement strict input validation and sanitization on XML inputs to reject suspicious or overly complex XML payloads. 3. Employ resource limiting techniques such as CPU and memory quotas for application processes handling XML deserialization to prevent resource exhaustion. 4. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block malicious XML payloads exhibiting abnormal complexity patterns. 5. Monitor application logs and system resource usage for unusual spikes indicative of attempted exploitation. 6. Consider disabling XML deserialization if not required or replacing it with safer data formats like JSON. 7. Educate development and operations teams about the vulnerability and encourage proactive patch management. 8. Conduct penetration testing and code reviews focusing on XML processing components to identify and remediate similar issues.