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CVE-2025-54988

Apache Tika PDF parser module: XXE vulnerability in PDFParser's handling of XFA

Published: Aug 20, 2025Updated: Nov 4, 2025 Sources: CVE List NVD GHSA BDUCWE-611
NVD MITRE
8.4CVSSHIGH
EPSS Score
3.0%
Top 14.6%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available

Description

Critical XXE in Apache Tika (tika-parser-pdf-module) in Apache Tika 1.13 through and including 3.2.1 on all platforms allows an attacker to carry out XML External Entity injection via a crafted XFA file inside of a PDF. An attacker may be able to read sensitive data or trigger malicious requests to internal resources or third-party servers. Note that the tika-parser-pdf-module is used as a dependency in several Tika packages including at least: tika-parsers-standard-modules, tika-parsers-standard-package, tika-app, tika-grpc and tika-server-standard. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.2.2, which fixes this issue.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:LAC:LPR:NUI:NS:UC:HI:HA:H
Exploitability
AV:LAttack Vector
Local
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:NPrivileges Required
None
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:HIntegrity
High
A:HAvailability
High
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Weaknesses

CWE-611

Affected Products

tikaapache
LibraryLibrary
OSS Libraries / generic-library
org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-moduleMavenOSS Libraries
org.apache.tika:tika-parsersMavenOSS Libraries
Debian GNU/LinuxСообщество свободного программного обеспечения
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Tika CoreApache Software Foundation
Mixed
Web & CMS Plugins / cms-core
apacheoss-projectUSWeb & CMS Pluginsaka apache http server, apache httpd
mavenpackage-ecosystemOSS Libraries
сообщество свободного программного обеспеченияoss-projectOperating Systemsaka сообщество свободного программного обеспечения, fsf
apache software foundationoss-projectUSWeb & CMS Pluginsaka apache foundation
and 3 more affected products View all →

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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Exploitability

Official Patch Available

MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Collection
Initial Access
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://lists.apache.org/thread/8xn3rqy6kz5b3l1t83kcofkw0w4mmj1w
lists.apache.org
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/20/2
openwall.com
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/20/3
openwall.com
and 15 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
Aug 20, 2025
Last Updated
Nov 4, 2025

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