XML parsing is the process of reading and interpreting XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents so that their data can be accessed and manipulated by applications. In cybersecurity, improper XML parsing can introduce vulnerabilities such as XML External Entity (XXE) attacks, where attackers exploit how XML parsers process external entities to access sensitive data or execute malicious code. Secure XML parsing involves configuring parsers to disable external entity processing and validating input to prevent injection attacks. Proper handling of XML data is critical to maintaining application security and protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access or manipulation.