CVE-2019-19956 — xmlParseBalancedChunkMemoryRecover in parser.c in libxml2 before 2.9.10 has a memory leak related...
xmlParseBalancedChunkMemoryRecover in parser.c in libxml2 before 2.9.10 has a memory leak related to newDoc->oldNs.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 5.6% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
- Technical severity (high)+6
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — gitlab.gnome.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora…).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- EPSS ahead of 93% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | Ubuntu Linux | version 12.04version 14.04version 16.04version 18.04version 19.10 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 8.0version 9.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Fedoraproject | Fedora | version 32version 30 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Active Iq Unified Manager | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Clustered Data Ontap | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Clustered Data Ontap Antivirus Connector | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Manageability Software Development Kit | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Ontap Select Deploy Administration Utility | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Oracle | Real User Experience Insight | version 13.3.1.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Siemens | Sinema Remote Connect Server | < 3.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Xmlsoft | Libxml2 | < 2.9.10 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 5.0 | CVSS 2.0 | Medium | 10.0 | 2.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CWE-401 · Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 5.63%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · xmlsoft/libxml2, debian/debian linux, oracle/real user experience insight, fedoraproject/fedora, canonical/ubuntu linux,
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2019
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
22 on the record
- gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/commit/5a02583c7e683896d84878bd90641d8d9b0d0549
- usn.ubuntu.com/4274-1/
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-292794.pdf
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-5cvc-j2xm-h554
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/JDPF3A
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/5R55
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/5R55
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/JDPF
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200114-0002/
- www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
- us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-21-103-08
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/12/msg00032.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/JDPF
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-05/msg00047.html
- usn.ubuntu.com/4274-1
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00005.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00009.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/5R55ZR
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-19956
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-292794.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200114-0002
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-86144 Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres in Xmlsoft Libxml2 Sep 5, 2026
- High CVE-2026-86142 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Xmlsoft Libxml2 Sep 5, 2026
- Low CVE-2026-86141 Unchecked Return Value in Xmlsoft Libxml2 Sep 5, 2026
- High CVE-2026-86143 In xmlIO in libxml2 before 2.15.4, an inconsistency in xmlOutputWriteCallback and… Sep 5, 2026
- High CVE-2026-86138 Integer Overflow or Wraparound in Xmlsoft Libxml2 Sep 5, 2026
- High CVE-2026-86140 Stack-based Buffer Overflow in Xmlsoft Libxml2 Sep 5, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2019-19956 is "xmlParseBalancedChunkMemoryRecover in parser.c in libxml2 before 2.9.10 has a memory leak related...", rated High. It affects Ubuntu Linux (Canonical); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 5.63% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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