CVE-2025-54988

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

Published Aug 20, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 8.4 High EPSS 36.3% KEV · Not listed
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4350-1 tika security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-25435 Apache Tika XXE Vulnerability via Crafted XFA File Inside a PDF
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-p72g-pv48-7w9x Apache Tika XXE Vulnerability via Crafted XFA File Inside a PDF
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8324-1 Apache Tika vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:tika:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache tika
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache tika
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L'}

threat_severity

Critical

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title Apache Tika PDF parser module: XXE vulnerability in PDFParser's handling of XFA
Weaknesses CWE-611
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apache
Published
Updated
Feb 26, 2026, 5:48 PM
Reserved
Aug 4, 2025, 4:04 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Aug 20, 2025, 8:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 9:41 AM
Severity
Critical
Public date
Aug 20, 2025, 8:08 PM