Description
Apache PDFBox before 1.8.12 and 2.x before 2.0.1 does not properly initialize the XML parsers, which allows context-dependent attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted PDF.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | libpdfbox-java | 1:1.8.12-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | libpdfbox-java | 1:1.8.12-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | libpdfbox-java | 1:1.8.12-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | libpdfbox-java | 1:1.8.7+dfsg-1+deb8u1 | DSA-3606-1 |
| Debian 7 | libpdfbox-java | 1:1.7.0+dfsg-4+deb7u1 | DLA-505-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | libpdfbox-java | No fix yet | — |
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox | < 1.8.12 | 1.8.12 | GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98 |
| Maven | org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox | >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.1 | 2.0.1 | GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98 |
Advisories 2
- DLA-505-1 libpdfbox-java - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3606-1 libpdfbox-java - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- RHSA-2017:0179 vendor-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/137214/Apache-PDFBox-1.8.11-2.0.0-XML-Injection.html
- [www-announce] 20160527 [CVE-2016-2175] Apache PDFBox XML External Entity vulnerability mailing-list
- DSA-3606 vendor-advisory
- 20160527 [CVE-2016-2175] Apache PDFBox XML External Entity vulnerability mailing-list
- http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=1739564
- 90902 vdb-entry
- http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=1739565
- RHSA-2017:0272 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2017:0248 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2017:0249 vendor-advisory
- [tika-commits] 20190802 svn commit: r1864259 [1/17] - in /tika/site: publish/ publish/1.10/ publish/1.11/ publish/1.12/ publish/1.13/ publish/1.14/ publish/1.15/ publish/1.16/ publish/1.17/ publish/1.18/ publish/1.19.1/ publish/1.19/ publish/1.20/ pu mailing-list