CVE-2026-54078
Fix: veraPDF/veraPDF-validation@94caa46CVE-2026-54078 is a XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.verapdf:validation-model. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2026-54078 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
veraPDF Validation XXE via Rich Text
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-54078.
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.
Real-World Exposure
org.verapdf:validation-model☕org.verapdf:validation-model☕org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta☕org.verapdf:validation-model-jakartaReal-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
veraPDF validation model is an implementation of the veraPDF validation model. From 1.25.73 until 1.30.2 and 1.31.71, veraPDF-validation contains an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/tools/DictionaryKeysHelper.java in getRichTextStringOrStreamEntryStringRepresentation(), where a crafted PDF containing a malicious rich-text /RC or /RV entry can cause external entity expansion and reflect local file contents into the validation report. This issue is fixed in versions 1.30.2 and 1.31.71.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:validation-model | ≥ 1.25.73&&< 1.30.2 | 1.30.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:validation-model | ≥ 1.31.1&&< 1.31.71 | 1.31.71 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta | ≥ 1.25.73&&< 1.30.2 | 1.30.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta | ≥ 1.31.1&&< 1.31.71 | 1.31.71 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.verapdf:validation-model. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.verapdf:validation-model to 1.30.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-54078 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 pinpoints whether CVE-2026-54078 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2026-54078. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-54078 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2026-54078 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.