How severe is CVE-2019-0228?

CVE-2019-0228 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2019-0228?

CVE-2019-0228 affects the following packages: org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2019-0228?

Update org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox to 2.0.15 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2019-0228 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2019-0228 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2019-0228 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is CVE-2019-0228 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2019-0228 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2019-0228?

CVE-2019-0228 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 9.5%, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2019-0228?

CVE-2019-0228 is classified as XML External Entity (XXE) (CWE-611). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2019-0228 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2019-0228 was published on April 17, 2019 and was last updated on October 24, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

CRITICAL severity

CVE-2019-0228 — pdfbox

CRITICAL

CVE-2019-0228 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox. A fix is available for org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Vulnerability that affects org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox

Also known asGHSA-c9jj-3wvg-q65h

Published

Apr 17, 2019

Updated

Oct 24, 2026

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 3, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

9.5%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs95th percentile — riskier than 95% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

☕org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

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 Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox`	≥ 2.0.14&&< 2.0.15	2.0.15`org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox:2.0.15`

Affected Products

15 products · 32 configurations

Application

jamesapache

2 versions

3.3.03.4.0

Application

pdfboxapache

1 version

2.0.14

fedorafedoraproject

2 versions

2930

Application

banking corporate lending process managementoracle

3 versions

14.214.314.5

Application

banking credit facilities process managementoracle

3 versions

14.214.314.5

Application

banking supply chain financeoracle

3 versions

14.214.314.5

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox to 2.0.15 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2019-0228 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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CVE-2019-0228 — pdfbox

EPSS Exploitation Probability

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

Description

Affected Packages

Affected Products

Detection & mitigation playbook

Detect

Fix

Workarounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVE-2019-0228 in your dependencies?