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CVE-2026-40021

MEDIUM CVSS 4.0: 6.3 EPSS 0.12%
Updated Apr 10, 2026
Apache
Parameter Value
CVSS 6.3 (MEDIUM)
Affected Versions before 3.3.0
Type CWE-116 (Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output)
Vendor Apache
Public PoC No

Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity.

Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.

Attack Parameters

Attack Vector
Network
Can be exploited remotely
Attack Complexity
High
Difficult to exploit
Attack Requirements
None
No additional conditions
Privileges Required
None
No privileges needed
User Interaction
None
No user interaction needed

Impact Assessment

Confidentiality
None
No data leak
Integrity
None
No data modification
Availability
None
No disruption

CVSS Vector v4.0