Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Docling could trust dangerous instructions hidden inside specially crafted USPTO patent XML. In vulnerable deployments, processing such a file may expose server files, trigger requests into internal networks, or exhaust resources and disrupt service. Docling versions 2.13.0 through 2.73.x are affected; version 2.74.0 fixes the issue.
Executive priority
Treat exposed document-processing services as an immediate remediation priority because one malicious file could compromise confidentiality or availability without authentication. Upgrade urgently. For installations that cannot process USPTO XML, verify that condition and complete the upgrade through the normal expedited vulnerability process.
Technical view
The ICE v4.x, Grant v2.5, and Application v1.x USPTO backends used Python's standard xml.sax.parseString() without protections against external entities or excessive entity expansion. This enables XXE-based file disclosure and SSRF, plus entity-expansion denial of service. The affected range is >=2.13.0 and <2.74.0.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Docling automatically processes untrusted or externally supplied USPTO patent XML using an affected backend. Risk is lower when these formats are never accepted, but installed versions and actual processing paths must be verified rather than assumed.
Exploitation context
The supplied record marks this CVE as absent from CISA KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation. That does not establish that exploitation is impossible or has never occurred. Exploitation requires a vulnerable service or workflow to parse attacker-controlled USPTO patent XML.
Researcher notes
The strongest evidence supports parser-level XXE and entity-expansion exposure across three named USPTO formats. The CVSS 3.1 score is 9.4. The bundle does not establish public exploit availability, active attacks, affected configurations beyond Docling, or compromise indicators specific to this vulnerability.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Docling to version 2.74.0 or later.
- Prioritize systems that accept externally supplied USPTO patent XML.
- Restrict or suspend untrusted patent XML processing until upgrades are complete.
- Review the Docling advisory for any updated vendor guidance.
- Limit the parser service's filesystem access and outbound network reach as defense in depth.
Validation and detection
- Confirm the installed runtime version, not only the declared dependency version.
- Inventory workflows using ICE v4.x, Grant v2.5, or Application v1.x parsers.
- Verify no vulnerable Docling copies remain in containers, jobs, or cached environments.
- In a controlled test, confirm external entity resolution and excessive expansion are rejected.
- Review service logs for unusual outbound requests, parsing failures, or resource exhaustion.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-611: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCWE-776: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCloud metadata behavior lookup
The CVE wording references SSRF or metadata access, so cloud discovery and credential material review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-44020 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H3.95.5redhat-SADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6GitHub_MVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.4CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2026-06-24T18:12:41.219Z: Reported to Red Hat.
- 2026-06-24T17:45:46.644Z: Made public.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/docling-project/docling/security/advisories/GHSA-m88r-rg27-5xfgCVE reference, GitHub_M · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44020CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2492456CVE reference, redhat-SADP · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-44020.jsonCVE reference, redhat-SADP · x_sadp-csaf-vex
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:60520CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Improper Restriction of Recursive Entity References in DTDs ('XML Entity Expansion')
Improper Restriction of Recursive Entity References in DTDs ('XML Entity Expansion') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.