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log4net — security advisory

Type: advisorySources: OSVAdvisory ID: DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021

Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity. Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.

Products
log4net
Affected versions
1.2.10+dfsg-10, 1.2.10+dfsg-9
Fixed versions
1.2.10+dfsg-10
CVEs
CVE-2026-40021
Confirmed fixed CVEs
Not specified
Updated in this feed
1 Nov 2026, 17:47 UTC · Revision 2

Source evidence

DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021

core-osv · Original source

Published 10 Apr 2026, 16:16 UTC

Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity. Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.

osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021

log4net

Fixed versions: Not specified

log4net

Fixed versions: 1.2.10+dfsg-10

Complete source record
{
  "id": "0502de412581b021dafb74222c3e976435d2c920634e0216ad4324ba1a9b7a34",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021",
    "summary": "Apache Log4net's XmlLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list and XmlLayoutSchemaLog4J https://logging.apache.org/log4net/manual/configuration/layouts.html#layout-list , in versions before 3.3.0, fail to sanitize characters forbidden by the XML 1.0 specification https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charsets in MDC property keys and values, as well as the identity field that may carry attacker-influenced data. This causes an exception during serialization and the silent loss of the affected log event. An attacker who can influence any of these fields can exploit this to suppress individual log records, impairing audit trails and detection of malicious activity. Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4net 3.3.0, which fixes this issue.",
    "evidence": "osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021",
    "products": [
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "log4net",
          "evidence": "/affected/0/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [],
        "affected_versions": [
          {
            "value": "1.2.10+dfsg-10",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/versions"
          },
          {
            "value": "1.2.10+dfsg-9",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/versions"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "log4net",
          "evidence": "/affected/1/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "1.2.10+dfsg-10",
            "evidence": "/affected/1/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": [
          {
            "value": "1.2.10+dfsg-9",
            "evidence": "/affected/1/versions"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "severity": "medium",
    "structured": {
      "id": "DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021",
      "aliases": [
        "DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021"
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "type": "CVSS_V3",
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N"
        }
      ],
      "affected": [
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "log4net",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/log4net?arch=source&distro=trixie",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:13"
          },
          "versions": [
            "1.2.10+dfsg-10",
            "1.2.10+dfsg-9"
          ],
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        },
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "1.2.10+dfsg-10"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "log4net",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/log4net?arch=source&distro=forky",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:14"
          },
          "versions": [
            "1.2.10+dfsg-9"
          ],
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40021.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-27T09:47:39.970161460Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "upstream": [
        "CVE-2026-40021"
      ],
      "references": [
        "https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-40021"
      ]
    },
    "related_cves": [
      {
        "value": "CVE-2026-40021",
        "evidence": "/upstream"
      }
    ],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": "/severity/0/score"
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 461201,
  "published_at": "2026-04-10T16:16:32.42+00:00"
}