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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
CWE-611
OWASP Top 10:2025
A02:2025 - Security Misconfiguration
ASVS 5.0
V13 - Configuration XML external entity prevention
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Collection

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

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Impact

CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required.
Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker could read arbitrary files or perform SSRF through XML processing by sending crafted requests to the affected application. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity.
Patch available 9.5% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

Apache PDFBox 2.0.14 does not properly initialize the XML parser, which allows context-dependent attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted XFDF. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Disable external entity processing in XML parsers, use JSON instead of XML where possible.

Affected Packages

maven org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox fix: 2.0.15

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in maven

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

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Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as XML External Entity (XXE) (CWE-611), which allows attackers to read arbitrary files or perform SSRF through XML processing. Apache PDFBox 2.0.14 does not properly initialize the XML parser, which allows context-dependent attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted XFDF. Affected products include: Apache Pdfbox, Apache James, Fedoraproject Fedora, Oracle Banking Corporate Lending Process Management, Oracle Banking Credit Facilities Process Management.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.8 CRITICAL
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

Apache PDFBox 2.0.14 does not properly initialize the XML parser, which allows context-dependent attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted XFDF.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
9.5%
Top 5% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low
NVD CVE.org EPSS

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 9.5%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
Yes
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

58
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +9
CVSS: +49
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

XML External Entity Injection HIGH

XML External Entity (XXE) attacks exploit XML parsers that process Document Type Definitions (DTDs) without proper restrictions.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:apache:james:3.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:apache:james:3.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_corporate_lending_process_management:14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_corporate_lending_process_management:14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_corporate_lending_process_management:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_credit_facilities_process_management:14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_credit_facilities_process_management:14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_credit_facilities_process_management:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_supply_chain_finance:14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_supply_chain_finance:14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_supply_chain_finance:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_trade_finance_process_management:14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_trade_finance_process_management:14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_trade_finance_process_management:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_virtual_account_management:14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_virtual_account_management:14.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_virtual_account_management:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
+ 12 more

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In Apache PDFBox, a carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an OutOfMemory-Exception while loading the file.0.23 and prio
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In Apache PDFBox 1.8.0 to 1.8.15 and 2.0.0RC1 to 2.0.11, a carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an extremely long runn
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Apache PDFBox versions 2.0.24-2.0.35 and 3.0.0-3.0.6 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the ExtractEmbeddedFiles

Same weakness CWE-611 – Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference

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CVE-2019-9670 CRITICAL POC
9.8
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8.2
CVE-2025-2775 CRITICAL POC
9.3
CVE-2025-2776 CRITICAL POC
9.3
CVE-2017-12629 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2016-9563 MEDIUM POC
6.5
CVE-2012-3363 CRITICAL POC
9.1
CVE-2016-4264 HIGH POC
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Same technique XXE

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CVE-2013-5014 HIGH POC
7.5
CVE-2015-0923 MEDIUM POC
5.0
CVE-2014-0644 HIGH POC
7.8

References

Advisories & patches
REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/1a3756557f8cb02790b7183ccf7665ae23f608a421c4f723113bca79%40%3Cusers.pdfbox.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/8a19bd6d43e359913341043c2a114f91f9e4ae170059539ad1f5673c%40%3Ccommits.tika.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/bc8db1bf459f1ad909da47350ed554ee745abe9f25f2b50cad4e06dd%40%3Cserver-dev.james.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/be86fcd7cd423a3fe6b73a3cb9d7cac0b619d0deb99e6b5d172c98f4%40%3Ccommits.tika.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r0a2141abeddae66dd57025f1681c8425834062b7c0c7e0b1d830a95d%40%3Cusers.pdfbox.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r32b8102392a174b17fd19509a9e76047f74852b77b7bf46af95e45a2%40%3Cserver-dev.james.apache.org%3E REF https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/6HKVPTJWZGUB4MH4AAOWMRJHRDBYFHGJ/ REF https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/POPOGHJ5CVMUVCRQU7APBAN5IVZGZFDX/ REF https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html REF https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html REF https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2020.html REF https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html

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