CVE-2025-54988 is a critical XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability affecting the Apache Tika PDF parser module, specifically versions from 1.13 through 3.2.1. Apache Tika is a widely used content analysis toolkit that extracts metadata and text from various document formats, including PDFs. The vulnerability arises from improper restriction of XML External Entity references (CWE-611) within the tika-parser-pdf-module when processing XFA (XML Forms Architecture) files embedded inside PDFs. An attacker can craft a malicious PDF containing a specially designed XFA form that triggers the XXE vulnerability during parsing. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data by reading local files or internal network resources, or it can be leveraged to initiate malicious requests to internal or external servers, potentially facilitating further attacks such as server-side request forgery (SSRF). The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The tika-parser-pdf-module is a dependency in multiple Apache Tika packages, including tika-parsers-standard-modules, tika-parsers-standard-package, tika-app, tika-grpc, and tika-server-standard, broadening the scope of affected applications and services that rely on these components for document processing. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.4 (high severity), reflecting its significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and no need for privileges or user interaction. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the critical nature of the flaw and the widespread use of Apache Tika in enterprise and cloud environments make timely remediation essential. The recommended mitigation is to upgrade to Apache Tika version 3.2.2 or later, where this issue has been addressed. Organizations should also review their use of Tika-based services and ensure that untrusted PDF inputs are handled cautiously or sandboxed to limit potential damage from exploitation attempts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54988 can be substantial due to the widespread adoption of Apache Tika in document processing workflows, content management systems, and data ingestion pipelines across various sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and legal services. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive internal documents or configuration files, leakage of confidential data, and potential lateral movement within internal networks. This is particularly concerning for organizations subject to strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, where data breaches can result in severe financial penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, the ability to trigger requests to internal or third-party servers may facilitate further attacks or data exfiltration, complicating incident response efforts. The vulnerability’s presence in server-side components (e.g., tika-server-standard) increases the risk of remote exploitation in cloud or hosted environments commonly used by European enterprises. Given the criticality of document processing in many business operations, disruption or compromise of these services could impact operational continuity and trustworthiness of automated data extraction processes.

1. Immediate upgrade to Apache Tika version 3.2.2 or later, which contains the patch for CVE-2025-54988. 2. Conduct an inventory of all systems and applications that utilize Apache Tika, including indirect dependencies, to ensure comprehensive patching. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all PDF files processed, especially those containing XFA forms, to detect and block potentially malicious content. 4. Where possible, isolate document parsing services in sandboxed or containerized environments with minimal privileges and restricted network access to limit the impact of any exploitation. 5. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual outbound requests originating from Tika-based services that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Employ network segmentation to protect sensitive internal resources from unauthorized access triggered by XXE exploitation. 7. Educate development and security teams about the risks associated with XML parsing and the importance of secure configuration of XML parsers to prevent XXE vulnerabilities. 8. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) with signatures tuned to detect XXE attack patterns targeting document processing endpoints.