---
title: "CVE-2008-3281\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-3281?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2008-3281

Publication date 27 August 2008

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.5 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-3281?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

libxml2 2.6.32 and earlier does not properly detect recursion during entity
expansion in an attribute value, which allows context-dependent attackers
to cause a denial of service (memory and CPU consumption) via a crafted XML
document.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-3281?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| libxml2 | 8.04 LTS hardy | Fixed 2.6.31.dfsg-2ubuntu1.1 |
| 7.10 gutsy | Fixed 2.6.30.dfsg-2ubuntu1.2 |
| 7.04 feisty | Fixed 2.6.27.dfsg-1ubuntu3.2 |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Fixed 2.6.24.dfsg-1ubuntu1.2 |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-3281?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [kees](https://launchpad.net/~kees)

earlier patches broke ABI (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show\_bug.cgi?id=459830)
USN-644-1 updates this fix to match upstream patches.

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| libxml2 | * Vendor:   <https://bugzilla.redhat.com/attachment.cgi?id=314860> |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

6.5 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 6.5 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2008-3281)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3281)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2008-3281)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2008-3281)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-640-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-640-1)
+ libxml2 vulnerability
+ 3 September 2008

+ [USN-644-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-644-1)
+ libxml2 vulnerabilities
+ 11 September 2008

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3281>