#vulnerable code 
                                public static boolean setProjectVersion( final ModifiedPomXMLEventReader pom, final String value )
        throws XMLStreamException
    {
        Stack<String> stack = new Stack<String>();
        String path = "";
        final Pattern matchScopeRegex;
        boolean madeReplacement = false;
        matchScopeRegex = Pattern.compile( "/project/version" );

        pom.rewind();

        while ( pom.hasNext() )
        {
            XMLEvent event = pom.nextEvent();
            if ( event.isStartElement() )
            {
                stack.push( path );
                path = path + "/" + event.asStartElement().getName().getLocalPart();

                if ( matchScopeRegex.matcher( path ).matches() )
                {
                    pom.mark( 0 );
                }
            }
            if ( event.isEndElement() )
            {
                if ( matchScopeRegex.matcher( path ).matches() )
                {
                    pom.mark( 1 );
                    if ( pom.hasMark( 0 ) && pom.hasMark( 1 ) )
                    {
                        pom.replaceBetween( 0, 1, value );
                        madeReplacement = true;
                    }
                    pom.clearMark( 0 );
                    pom.clearMark( 1 );
                }
                path = stack.pop();
            }
        }
        return madeReplacement;
    } 
                            #location 15 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                                public static boolean setProjectVersion( final ModifiedPomXMLEventReader pom, final String value )
        throws XMLStreamException
    {
        return setProjectValue( pom, "/project/version", value );
    }