CVE-2025-54988 is an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability classified under CWE-611, found in the Apache Tika PDF parser module versions 1.13 through 3.2.1. Apache Tika is a widely used open-source 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 within the XFA (XML Forms Architecture) files embedded inside PDFs. An attacker can craft a malicious PDF containing a specially designed XFA file that triggers the XML parser to process external entities. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data by reading local files or network resources, or cause the server to make unintended requests to internal or external systems, potentially enabling server-side request forgery (SSRF) or denial of service (DoS) conditions. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. Apache Tika’s PDF parser module is a dependency in several Tika packages such as tika-parsers-standard-modules, tika-parsers-standard-package, tika-app, tika-grpc, and tika-server-standard, broadening the scope of affected deployments. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.4, reflecting high severity due to the combination of local attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature and impact necessitate immediate attention. The Apache Software Foundation has released version 3.2.2 of Apache Tika to address this issue by properly restricting XML external entity processing in the PDF parser module.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54988 can be significant, especially for those relying on Apache Tika for document processing in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and legal services where sensitive data is frequently handled. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, including internal documents, credentials, or personally identifiable information (PII). Additionally, attackers could leverage the vulnerability to perform SSRF attacks, potentially accessing internal network resources that are otherwise protected, leading to further compromise or lateral movement within the network. The integrity and availability of document processing services could also be disrupted, affecting business operations and service delivery. Given the widespread use of Apache Tika in enterprise content management systems, data analytics platforms, and cloud services, the vulnerability poses a risk to both on-premises and cloud-based environments. The lack of required authentication and user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the likelihood of attacks if unpatched. European organizations must consider the regulatory implications, including GDPR compliance, as data breaches resulting from this vulnerability could lead to significant legal and financial penalties.

1. Immediate upgrade to Apache Tika version 3.2.2 or later, which contains the fix for this vulnerability. 2. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, disable or restrict XFA parsing in the PDF parser module to prevent processing of potentially malicious XFA content. 3. Configure XML parsers used by Apache Tika to disable external entity resolution and DTD processing, effectively mitigating XXE risks. 4. Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit the ability of the vulnerable system to make arbitrary outbound requests, reducing SSRF impact. 5. Monitor logs for unusual XML parsing errors or unexpected outbound requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Conduct regular security assessments and code reviews of document processing workflows to identify and remediate similar XML-related vulnerabilities. 7. Educate development and security teams about the risks of XXE and secure XML parsing best practices to prevent future vulnerabilities. 8. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or web application firewalls (WAF) with XXE detection capabilities as an additional layer of defense.