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CVE Record

CVE-2015-9541: Qt through 5.14 allows an exponential XML entity expansion attack via a crafted SVG document that is mishan...

Qt through 5.14 allows an exponential XML entity expansion attack via a crafted SVG document that is mishandled in QXmlStreamReader, a related issue to CVE-2003-1564.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This CVE describes a resource-exhaustion risk in Qt when handling a crafted SVG document. An affected application that parses attacker-supplied SVG content could consume excessive processing resources and become unavailable. The source bundle does not provide CVSS scoring, confirmed exploitation, or complete affected-product details beyond Qt through 5.14.

Executive priority

Do not treat this as an emergency based on the provided evidence alone. Prioritize remediation where Qt-based applications process untrusted SVG content, especially in externally reachable workflows, because the likely business impact is service disruption.

Technical view

Qt through 5.14 mishandles exponential XML entity expansion in QXmlStreamReader when processing a crafted SVG document. The issue is related to CVE-2003-1564. The available data points to denial-of-service exposure, but the bundle lacks CWE mapping, CVSS metrics, and detailed upstream remediation text.

Likely exposure

Most relevant exposure is software using Qt through 5.14 to parse SVG or XML content from untrusted users, files, messages, or network sources. Systems that never process untrusted SVG through Qt are less likely to be exposed.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not cite CISA KEV status or any public active exploitation report. It describes a crafted SVG trigger, but no exploit prevalence, exploitation maturity, or real-world incident evidence is provided.

Researcher notes

Evidence is sparse: NVD-style data lists unknown severity, no CVSS, no CWE, and generic affected metadata. The strongest technical signal is the description tying Qt through 5.14, crafted SVG input, QXmlStreamReader, and exponential XML entity expansion.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory applications and packages using Qt through 5.14.
  • Check Qt QTBUG-47417 and applicable vendor advisories for fixed versions.
  • Apply vendor-provided Qt or distribution package updates where available.
  • Limit or isolate untrusted SVG/XML processing until vendor guidance is applied.
  • Prioritize internet-facing or user-upload workflows that parse SVG content.

Validation and detection

  • Identify where Qt is bundled or dynamically linked in deployed applications.
  • Confirm Qt versions against the affected description: through 5.14.
  • Trace whether untrusted SVG files reach QXmlStreamReader or Qt SVG parsing paths.
  • Review Fedora or OS package advisories for matching installed package builds.
  • Verify remediation by confirming updated vendor package versions are deployed.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2015-9541 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.