CVE-2026-33929

Apache PDFBox Examples: Path Traversal in PDFBox ExtractEmbeddedFiles Example Code

Published Apr 14, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 4.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples.

This issue affects the
ExtractEmbeddedFiles example in Apache PDFBox: from 2.0.24 through 2.0.36, from 3.0.0 through 3.0.7.


Users are recommended to update to version 2.0.37 or 3.0.8 once
available. Until then, they should apply the fix provided in GitHub PR
427.

The ExtractEmbeddedFiles example contained a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) mentioned in CVE-2026-23907. However the change in the releases 2.0.36 and 3.0.7 is flawed because it doesn't consider the file path separator. Because of that, a user having writing rights on /home/ABC could be victim to a malicious PDF resulting in a write attempt to any path starting with /home/ABC, e.g. "/home/ABCDEF".

Users who have copied this example into their production code should apply the mentioned change. The example
has been changed accordingly and is available in the project repository.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-gcj8-76p4-g2fq Apache PDFBox Examples: Path Traversal in PDFBox ExtractEmbeddedFiles Example Code
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache pdfbox
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Apache pdfbox
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache pdfbox Examples
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache pdfbox Examples
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples. This issue affects the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example in Apache PDFBox: from 2.0.24 through 2.0.36, from 3.0.0 through 3.0.7. Users are recommended to update to version 2.0.37 or 3.0.8 once available. Until then, they should apply the fix provided in GitHub PR 427. The ExtractEmbeddedFiles example contained a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) mentioned in CVE-2026-23907. However the change in the releases 2.0.36 and 3.0.7 is flawed because it doesn't consider the file path separator. Because of that, a user having writing rights on /home/ABC could be victim to a malicious PDF resulting in a write attempt to any path starting with /home/ABC, e.g. "/home/ABCDEF". Users who have copied this example into their production code should apply the mentioned change. The example has been changed accordingly and is available in the project repository.
Title Apache PDFBox Examples: Path Traversal in PDFBox ExtractEmbeddedFiles Example Code
Weaknesses CWE-22
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apache
Published
Updated
Apr 14, 2026, 7:50 PM
Reserved
Mar 24, 2026, 5:06 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Apr 14, 2026, 9:16 AM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 10:10 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Apr 14, 2026, 8:09 AM