Docling’s JATS XML backend performs XML parsing by calling etree.parse() without disabling entity resolution, which allows an attacker to create a malicious XML file that contains a deeply nested entity expansion payload, commonly known as an XML bomb. When the parser processes such a file, the exponential expansion of entities consumes excessive CPU and memory resources. This resource exhaustion can halt the Docling service or, in the worst case, bring the entire system running the parser to a halt, effectively creating a denial of service condition.

The vulnerability exists in the Docling JATS XML backend up through version 2.61.0. No other vendors or products are listed; the issue affects whichever installations of Docling use the default XML parsing routine. The exact vendor and product details are limited to the Docling project itself.

The attack requires an attacker to supply a crafted XML file to the Docling backend; this could be achieved through any interface that accepts XML content, such as APIs or command‑line inputs. The CVSS score is 7.5, and the EPSS score is < 1%, but the nature of the flaw suggests it is exploitable by anyone with write access to the XML ingest path. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog, but it can still cause significant operational impact if left unmitigated.