CVE-2025-66516 — tika-core
HIGHCVE-2025-66516 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.4) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.apache.tika:tika-core. 2 public exploit or proof-of-concept references are indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.tika:tika-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Tika core, Apache Tika parsers, Apache Tika PDF parser module: Update to CVE-2025-54988 to expand scope of artifacts affected
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-2025-66516.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
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
org.apache.tika:tika-core☕org.apache.tika:tika-parsers☕org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-moduleReal-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-core (1.13-3.2.1), tika-pdf-module (2.0.0-3.2.1) and tika-parsers (1.13-1.28.5) modules on all platforms allows an attacker to carry out XML External Entity injection via a crafted XFA file inside of a PDF.
This CVE covers the same vulnerability as in CVE-2025-54988. However, this CVE expands the scope of affected packages in two ways.
First, while the entrypoint for the vulnerability was the tika-parser-pdf-module as reported in CVE-2025-54988, the vulnerability and its fix were in tika-core. Users who upgraded the tika-parser-pdf-module but did not upgrade tika-core to >= 3.2.2 would still be vulnerable.
Second, the original report failed to mention that in the 1.x Tika releases, the PDFParser was in the "org.apache.tika:tika-parsers" module.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tika:tika-core | ≥ 1.13&&< 3.2.2 | 3.2.2org.apache.tika:tika-core:3.2.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tika:tika-parsers | ≥ 1.13&&< 2.0.0 | 2.0.0org.apache.tika:tika-parsers:2.0.0 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 3.2.2 | 3.2.2org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module:3.2.2 |
Affected Products
tikaapacheResearch 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-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.tika:tika-core to 3.2.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-66516 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 to detect CVE-2025-66516
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id cve-2025-66516 -u https://target- Template
- Apache Tika - XML External Entity Injection
- Severity
- high
- Impact
- Attackers can exploit XXE to read local files or cause denial of service, potentially exposing sensitive information or disrupting service.
- Remediation
- Upgrade tika-core to \u003E= 3.2.2 and ensure tika-pdf-module and tika-parsers are updated to latest versions.
Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (MathematicianGoat), 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.
This vulnerability is rated Critical because it can be triggered when Apache Tika processes a maliciously crafted XFA file embedded within a PDF. Successful exploitation enables XML External Entity (XXE) injection, allowing an attacker to access sensitive local files and initiate arbitrary requests to internal or…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.14.2 for Spring Boot 3.5.8 | tika-core | RHSA-2025:23143 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces (RHOSDS) 3.25 | devspaces/openvsx-rhel9:3.25.0-1765276570 | RHSA-2025:23225 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2025-66516 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.