CVE-2023-5X38X
This challenge covers the review of a CVE in a Java codebase and its patch
The Code Review Patch challenges are designed to enhance your skills in identifying and understanding vulnerabilities in code. You are given the original, vulnerable code and the corresponding patch that fixes the issue. Initially, you should attempt to find the vulnerability by reviewing the code without looking at the patch. This approach helps in honing your analytical skills and understanding common coding flaws.
If you face difficulties in identifying the vulnerability or wish to verify your findings, you can then examine the patch file. The patch provides a direct comparison, showing the changes made to rectify the issue. This step-by-step process not only reinforces your learning but also helps you understand how specific vulnerabilities are mitigated. For instance, in the provided code, the patch introduces a feature to disallow DOCTYPE declarations in XML parsing to prevent XML External Entity (XXE) attacks.