CVE-2025-54988 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.4) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Tika PDF parser module: XXE vulnerability in PDFParser's handling of XFA
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2025-54988.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2025-54988 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,333 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the 10–50% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module☕org.apache.tika:tika-parsersReal-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
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 Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module | ≥ 1.13&&< 3.2.2 | 3.2.2org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module:3.2.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tika:tika-parsers | ≥ 1.13&&< 2.0.0-ALPHA | 2.0.0-ALPHAorg.apache.tika:tika-parsers:2.0.0-ALPHA |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module to 3.2.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-54988 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2025-54988 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2025-54988. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
How to detect CVE-2025-54988
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id cve-2025-54988 -u https://target- Template
- Apache Tika - XXE Injection
- Severity
- critical
- Impact
- An attacker can read sensitive server files or perform SSRF attacks against internal infrastructure.
- Remediation
- Upgrade to Apache Tika 3.2.2 or later.
Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (tx1ee), MIT licensed. View the full template. Scan only systems you are authorised to test.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2025-54988 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2025-54988 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.