GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw
HIGHveraPDF has potential XSLT injection vulnerability when using policy files
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.
Blast Radius
org.verapdf:core☕org.verapdf:core-jakarta☕org.verapdf:core-arlington☕org.verapdf:verapdf-library-arlington☕org.verapdf:verapdf-library☕org.verapdf:verapdf-library-jakarta☕org.verapdf:library-arlington☕org.verapdf:library+1 moreReal-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
Impact
Executing policy checks using custom schematron files invokes an XSL transformation that may theoretically lead to a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.
Patches
This has been patched and users should upgrade to veraPDF v1.24.2
Workarounds
This doesn't affect the standard validation and policy checks functionality, veraPDF's common use cases. Most veraPDF users don't insert any custom XSLT code into policy profiles, which are based on Schematron syntax rather than direct XSL transforms. For users who do, only load custom policy files from sources you trust.
References
Original issue: https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-library/issues/1415
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:core | all versions | 1.24.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:core-jakarta | all versions | 1.24.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:core-arlington | all versions | 1.25.127 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:verapdf-library-arlington | all versions | 1.25.127 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:verapdf-library | all versions | 1.24.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.verapdf:verapdf-library-jakarta | all versions | 1.24.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.verapdf:core. 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:core to 1.24.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw 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 GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw 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 GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-qxqf-2mfx-x8jw across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.