# CVE-2021-32623: Billion laughs attack (XML bomb)

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-32623-billion-laughs-attack-xml-bomb  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2021-06-17  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2021-32623 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2021-06-17

Billion laughs attack (XML bomb)

Technologies: [org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-opencastproject-opencast-kernel). Vendors: [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2021-32623 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2021-32623 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2021-32623?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 17 June 2021.

**Which products and versions are affected?** org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=9.6.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2021-32623?** Yes. org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven): upgrade to 9.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2021-32623?** Check whether you run org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven): upgrade to 9.6 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel to 9.6 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Affected products

- org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=9.6

## Identifiers

- CVE-2021-32623
- GHSA-9gwx-9cwp-5c2m

## Related threats

- [Opencast still publishes global system account credentials](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-54380-opencast-still-publishes-global-system-account-credentials)
- [Opencast has Incorrect Permission Assignment](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2017-1000221-opencast-has-incorrect-permission-assignment)
- [Disabled Hostname Verification in Opencast](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-26234-disabled-hostname-verification-in-opencast)
- [Hard-Coded Key Used For Remember-me Token in Opencast](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-5222-hard-coded-key-used-for-remember-me-token-in-opencast)
- [Users with ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can create new users in Opencast](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-5231-users-with-role-course-admin-can-create-new-users-in-opencast)