CVE-2025-54988
Apache Tika PDF parser module: XXE vulnerability in PDFParser's handling of XFA
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.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 20, 2025, 8:15 p.m.
Last Modified :
Sept. 2, 2025, 1:15 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | CRITICAL | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | [email protected] |
Solution
- Upgrade Apache Tika to version 3.2.2.
- Update tika-parser-pdf-module and related dependencies.
Public PoC/Exploit Available at Github
CVE-2025-54988 has a 2 public
PoC/Exploit available at Github.
Go to the Public Exploits tab to see the list.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2025-54988.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://lists.apache.org/thread/8xn3rqy6kz5b3l1t83kcofkw0w4mmj1w | Issue Tracking Mailing List Vendor Advisory |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-54988 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2025-54988
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
A PDF generator for CVE-2025-54988
Python
📡 PoC auto collect from GitHub. ⚠️ Be careful Malware.
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Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2025-54988 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
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CybersecurityNews
Weekly Cybersecurity News Recap : Apple 0-day, Chrome, Copilot Vulnerabilities and Cyber Attacks
This past week was packed with high-severity disclosures and active exploitation reports across the global threat landscape. At the forefront, Apple rushed out emergency patches for yet another zero-d ... Read more
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CybersecurityNews
Critical Apache Tika PDF Parser Vulnerability Allow Attackers to Access Sensitive Data
A critical security vulnerability has been discovered in Apache Tika’s PDF parser module that could enable attackers to access sensitive data and trigger malicious requests to internal systems. The fl ... Read more
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Daily CyberSecurity
CVE-2025-54988: Critical XXE Vulnerability in Apache Tika PDF Parser Exposes Sensitive Data
The widely used Apache Tika toolkit, a powerful library for detecting and extracting metadata and text from over a thousand file formats, has been found vulnerable to a critical XML External Entity (X ... Read more
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2025-54988 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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CVE Modified by [email protected]
Sep. 02, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H -
Initial Analysis by [email protected]
Aug. 25, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:a:apache:tika:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 1.13 up to (excluding) 3.2.2 Added Reference Type Apache Software Foundation: https://lists.apache.org/thread/8xn3rqy6kz5b3l1t83kcofkw0w4mmj1w Types: Issue Tracking, Mailing List, Vendor Advisory -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 21, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 20, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value 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. Added CWE CWE-611 Added Reference https://lists.apache.org/thread/8xn3rqy6kz5b3l1t83kcofkw0w4mmj1w