CVE-2025-54988

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

HIGH
8.4
CVSS Score
Published: August 20, 2025 at 08:08 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 09:41 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorTika

Using Apache Tika PDF parser module by Apache Software Foundation?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect Apache Tika PDF parser module - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available
Severity
HIGH8.4
Exploit prediction
EPSS 48%
SSVC
PoC

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

1.13 ≤ v ≤ 3.2.11.13
Affected range stops below 3.2.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (4)

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/20/2
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/20/3
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00030.html

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

8.4HIGHapache
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-611

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Free plan, no card