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Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-22186

High
XXE Vulnerability in Bio-Formats Leica Metadata Parser Enables SSRF and Data Exfiltration
CWE-611 — Weakness Type
Published: Jan 7, 2026  ·  Modified: Feb 28, 2026  ·  Source: NVD
CVSS v3
7.1
🔗 NVD Official
📄 Description (English)

Bio-Formats versions up to and including 8.3.0 contain an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in the Leica Microsystems metadata parsing component (e.g., XLEF). The parser uses an insecurely configured DocumentBuilderFactory when processing Leica XML-based metadata files, allowing external entity expansion and external DTD loading. A crafted metadata file can trigger outbound network requests (SSRF), access local system resources where readable, or cause a denial of service during XML parsing.

🤖 AI Executive Summary

Bio-Formats versions up to 8.3.0 contain a critical XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in the Leica Microsystems metadata parsing component. The insecurely configured DocumentBuilderFactory allows attackers to craft malicious XML metadata files that can trigger Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), access local file systems, or cause denial of service. This affects research institutions, healthcare facilities, and laboratories using microscopy imaging systems.

📄 Description (Arabic)

تتيح هذه الثغرة للمهاجمين استغلال معالج XML غير آمن في مكتبة Bio-Formats المستخدمة على نطاق واسع في معالجة صور المجاهر الطبية والبحثية. من خلال إدراج كيانات XML خارجية ضارة في ملفات البيانات الوصفية لأنظمة Leica، يمكن للمهاجم إجبار النظام على إجراء طلبات شبكة خارجية غير مصرح بها أو قراءة ملفات النظام الحساسة. تشكل هذه الثغرة خطراً كبيراً على سرية البيانات الطبية والبحثية وسلامة الأنظمة المتصلة بالشبكة. يمكن استغلال الثغرة دون الحاجة إلى امتيازات خاصة عند معالجة ملفات البيانات الوصفية الواردة من مصادر غير موثوقة.

🤖 ملخص تنفيذي (AI)

تحتوي إصدارات Bio-Formats حتى 8.3.0 على ثغرة حرجة في الكيانات الخارجية لـ XML في مكون تحليل البيانات الوصفية لأنظمة Leica Microsystems. يسمح التكوين غير الآمن لـ DocumentBuilderFactory للمهاجمين بصياغة ملفات بيانات وصفية XML خبيثة يمكنها تنفيذ هجمات انتحال الطلبات من جانب الخادم والوصول إلى أنظمة الملفات المحلية أو التسبب في رفض الخدمة. يؤثر هذا على مؤسسات الأبحاث والمرافق الصحية والمختبرات التي تستخدم أنظمة التصوير المجهري.

🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Feb 28, 2026 07:48
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi healthcare facilities, research institutions, and university laboratories using Leica microscopy systems with Bio-Formats are at risk of data exfiltration and unauthorized network access. Medical imaging data containing patient information could be exposed, violating PDPL requirements and potentially compromising sensitive research data in life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors critical to Vision 2030 initiatives.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
القطاع الصحي المؤسسات البحثية والجامعات المختبرات الطبية والتشخيصية قطاع الصناعات الدوائية والحيوية مراكز الأبحاث العلمية
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.0
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
1. Immediately inventory all systems using Bio-Formats library versions up to 8.3.0, particularly in microscopy imaging workflows, and restrict processing of XML metadata files from untrusted sources until patching is complete.
2. Implement network segmentation to isolate microscopy and imaging systems from external networks, deploy XML input validation and sanitization at application boundaries, and disable external entity processing in all XML parsers through secure configuration of DocumentBuilderFactory with setFeature(XMLConstants.FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING, true).
3. Monitor for unusual outbound network connections from imaging systems, establish file integrity monitoring for sensitive research and medical data repositories, and prepare to upgrade to patched Bio-Formats versions immediately upon vendor release while implementing compensating controls including Web Application Firewall rules to block malicious XML patterns.
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
1. إجراء جرد فوري لجميع الأنظمة التي تستخدم مكتبة Bio-Formats بإصدارات حتى 8.3.0، خاصة في سير عمل التصوير المجهري، وتقييد معالجة ملفات البيانات الوصفية XML من مصادر غير موثوقة حتى اكتمال التصحيح.
2. تنفيذ تجزئة الشبكة لعزل أنظمة المجاهر والتصوير عن الشبكات الخارجية، ونشر التحقق من صحة مدخلات XML وتعقيمها عند حدود التطبيقات، وتعطيل معالجة الكيانات الخارجية في جميع محللات XML من خلال التكوين الآمن لـ DocumentBuilderFactory باستخدام setFeature(XMLConstants.FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING, true).
3. مراقبة الاتصالات الشبكية الصادرة غير المعتادة من أنظمة التصوير، وإنشاء مراقبة سلامة الملفات لمستودعات البيانات البحثية والطبية الحساسة، والاستعداد للترقية إلى إصدارات Bio-Formats المصححة فور إصدار المورّد مع تنفيذ ضوابط تعويضية تشمل قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب لحظر أنماط XML الخبيثة.
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC-1-2: Vulnerability Management ECC-3-1: Network Security ECC-4-1: Data Protection ECC-5-3: Secure Software Development
🔵 SAMA CSF
CCC-1.1.1: Asset Management CCC-2.2.1: Vulnerability Assessment CCC-3.1.1: Network Segmentation CCC-4.2.1: Data Loss Prevention
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.6.1: Management of Technical Vulnerabilities A.13.1.3: Segregation in Networks A.14.2.1: Secure Development Policy A.18.1.3: Protection of Records
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
openmicroscopy:bio-formats
📊 CVSS Score
7.1
/ 10.0 — High
📊 CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Attack VectorL — Low / Local
Attack ComplexityL — Low / Local
Privileges RequiredN — None / Network
User InteractionR — Required
ScopeU — Unchanged
ConfidentialityH — High
IntegrityN — None / Network
AvailabilityH — High
📋 Quick Facts
Severity High
CVSS Score7.1
CWECWE-611
EPSS0.02%
Exploit No
Patch ✓ Yes
Published 2026-01-07
Source Feed nvd
Views 1
🇸🇦 Saudi Risk Score
8.0
/ 10.0 — Saudi Risk
Priority: HIGH
🏷️ Tags
CWE-611
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