`CVE-2025-66516` Apache Tika

Affected software	Apache Tika
Severity	9.8 Critical CVSS 3.1 2 scores
Fixed in	`3.2.2`
Weakness	XML external entity (XXE) (CWE-611)
Published	4 Dec 2025
Updated	17 Jun 2026

Description

Critical XXE in Apache Tika tika-core (1.13-3.2.1), tika-pdf-module (2.0.0-3.2.1) and tika-parsers (1.13-1.28.5) modules on all platforms allows an attacker to carry out XML External Entity injection via a crafted XFA file inside of a PDF. This CVE covers the same vulnerability as in CVE-2025-54988. However, this CVE expands the scope of affected packages in two ways. First, while the entrypoint for the vulnerability was the tika-parser-pdf-module as reported in CVE-2025-54988, the vulnerability and its fix were in tika-core. Users who upgraded the tika-parser-pdf-module but did not upgrade tika-core to >= 3.2.2 would still be vulnerable. Second, the original report failed to mention that in the 1.x Tika releases, the PDFParser was in the "org.apache.tika:tika-parsers" module.

Exploitation status

Working exploit published

A reviewed exploit catalogue lists ready-to-run exploit code for this CVE.

CISA KEV not listed
VulnCheck KEV not listed
CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: poc CISA recorded that an exploit has been demonstrated. Automatable: no, technical impact: total.
Indexed PoC 3 indexed Published artifacts you can open, in GitHub PoC, Nuclei; first seen 2025-12-12.
EPSS 89% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.8% of all scored CVEs.

Index	Artifact	Stars	First seen
GitHub PoC	CVE-2025-66516 working exploit, scanner, explanation.	11	2025-12-12
GitHub PoC	A POC for the CVE-2025-66516 Apache Tika Vulnerability for educational purposes only	6	2025-12-17
Nuclei	Apache Tika - XML External Entity Injection

Waratek protection

Protected by Waratek

Waratek has a rule that blocks attacks on this vulnerability.

Protection full
Action available security rule
Review human Researcher
Record active

Decided by	Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset
Finding	A manual classification set this CVE's status to Protected by Waratek.

Decided by

Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset

Finding

A manual classification set this CVE's status to Protected by Waratek.

How to mitigate CVE-2025-66516

Upgrade Apache Tika to 3.2.2 or later. Until you can, Waratek RASP blocks exploitation with a security rule that blocks this kind of attack. It runs inside the Java application, with no code changes.

Waratek RASP Runtime protection for Java applications

CVSS

9.8 CRITICAL v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H 2 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

Version Score Band Vector Assigner Type

CVSS 3.1 9.8 CRITICAL CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H NVD Primary published

CVSS 3.1 8.4 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H security@apache.org Secondary

Version	Score	Band	Vector	Assigner	Type
CVSS 3.1	9.8	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	NVD	Primary	published
CVSS 3.1	8.4	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	security@apache.org	Secondary

Affected software and releases

Oracle advisories

Advisory	Type	Quarter	Products Oracle names in its risk matrix
Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2026 ↗	CPU	2026-Q1	Oracle Commerce / Workbench (Apache Tika) (11.4.0) Oracle Communications / Core (Apache Tika) (6.1.0-6.1.1) Oracle Communications / Security (Apache Tika) (7.5.0, 8.0.0) Oracle Construction and Engineering / Integration (Apache Tika) (21.12.0-21.12.17, 22.12.0-22.12.15, 23.12.0-23.12.16, 24.12.0-24.12.12, 25.12.0) Oracle Fusion Middleware / Runtime Engine (Apache Tika) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0) Oracle Fusion Middleware / Third Party (Apache Tika) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0) Oracle PeopleSoft / OpenSearch (Apache Tika) (8.60, 8.61, 8.62)

Advisory

Type

Quarter

Products Oracle names in its risk matrix

Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2026 ↗

CPU

2026-Q1

Oracle Commerce / Workbench (Apache Tika) (11.4.0)
Oracle Communications / Core (Apache Tika) (6.1.0-6.1.1)
Oracle Communications / Security (Apache Tika) (7.5.0, 8.0.0)
Oracle Construction and Engineering / Integration (Apache Tika) (21.12.0-21.12.17, 22.12.0-22.12.15, 23.12.0-23.12.16, 24.12.0-24.12.12, 25.12.0)
Oracle Fusion Middleware / Runtime Engine (Apache Tika) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0)
Oracle Fusion Middleware / Third Party (Apache Tika) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0)
Oracle PeopleSoft / OpenSearch (Apache Tika) (8.60, 8.61, 8.62)

Oracle components and versions

Family	Component	Versions, as Oracle lists them	Read as
Oracle Commerce	Workbench (Apache Tika)	11.4.0	11.4.0
Oracle Communications	Core (Apache Tika)	6.1.0-6.1.1
Oracle Communications	Security (Apache Tika)	7.5.0, 8.0.0	7.5.0 · 8.0.0
Oracle Construction and Engineering	Integration (Apache Tika)	21.12.0-21.12.17, 22.12.0-22.12.15, 23.12.0-23.12.16, 24.12.0-24.12.12, 25.12.0	25.12.0
Oracle Fusion Middleware	Runtime Engine (Apache Tika)	12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0	12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0
Oracle Fusion Middleware	Third Party (Apache Tika)	12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0	12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0
Oracle PeopleSoft	OpenSearch (Apache Tika)	8.60, 8.61, 8.62	8.60 · 8.61 · 8.62

Family

Component

Versions, as Oracle lists them

Read as

Oracle Commerce

Workbench (Apache Tika)

11.4.0

Oracle Communications

Core (Apache Tika)

6.1.0-6.1.1

Oracle Communications

Security (Apache Tika)

7.5.0, 8.0.0

7.5.0 · 8.0.0

Oracle Construction and Engineering

Integration (Apache Tika)

21.12.0-21.12.17, 22.12.0-22.12.15, 23.12.0-23.12.16, 24.12.0-24.12.12, 25.12.0

25.12.0

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Runtime Engine (Apache Tika)

12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0

12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Third Party (Apache Tika)

12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0

12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0

Oracle PeopleSoft

OpenSearch (Apache Tika)

8.60, 8.61, 8.62

8.60 · 8.61 · 8.62

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev

Package Introduced Fixed Last affected

org.apache.tika:tika-core 1.13 3.2.2 unbounded

org.apache.tika:tika-parsers 1.13 2.0.0 unbounded

org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module 2.0.0 3.2.2 unbounded

Package	Introduced	Fixed	Last affected
`org.apache.tika:tika-core`	1.13	`3.2.2`	unbounded
`org.apache.tika:tika-parsers`	1.13	`2.0.0`	unbounded
`org.apache.tika:tika-parser-pdf-module`	2.0.0	`3.2.2`	unbounded

Products and versions

4 products, 4 version entries

Source	Vendor	Product	Scheme	Affected versions
nvd	apache	tika	generic	≥ 1.13 and ＜ 3.2.2
osv	org.apache.tika	tika-core	generic	≥ 1.13 and ＜ 3.2.2
osv	org.apache.tika	tika-parser-pdf-module	generic	≥ 2.0.0 and ＜ 3.2.2
osv	org.apache.tika	tika-parsers	generic	≥ 1.13 and ＜ 2.0.0

Source

Vendor

Product

Scheme

Affected versions

nvd

apache

tika

generic

≥ 1.13 and ＜ 3.2.2

osv

org.apache.tika

tika-core

generic

≥ 1.13 and ＜ 3.2.2

osv

org.apache.tika

tika-parser-pdf-module

generic

≥ 2.0.0 and ＜ 3.2.2

osv

org.apache.tika

tika-parsers

generic

≥ 1.13 and ＜ 2.0.0

References

URL	Tags
https://cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-54988	WEB
https://github.com/apache/tika	PACKAGE
https://lists.apache.org/thread/s5x3k93nhbkqzztp1olxotoyjpdlps9k	WEB

URL

Timeline

Published	2025-12-04	By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified	2026-06-17	NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

Published

2025-12-04

By the CVE Program.

NVD record modified

2026-06-17

NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

How VRT decided (5 of 24 rules ran)

5 of 24 rules ran. The rest didn't run because an earlier rule had already settled the CVE.

# Rule Outcome Status Detail

identity: Does this identifier describe a vulnerability at all? the first rule that matches decides

1 rejected no match CVE Program withdrawal of this identifier

scope: Is it a vulnerability Waratek protects? the first rule that matches decides

2 armr-patch-file no match An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE

3 armr-secure-rule-file no match An ARMR security-rule template on disk for this CVE

4 manual-classification no match A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE

5 manual classification decided it matched Protected by Waratek Found in legacy manual classifications

6 non-java-upstream not reached A root cause in non-Java code: an OS kernel, a C library, or a bundled runtime

7 oracle-component not reached The defect being in a component of a tracked product the agent does not reach: JavaFX, the Java SE installer, the JInitiator browser plug-in, the native WebLogic proxy plug-in, or a native part of Oracle Application Server or Collaboration Suite (HTTP Server, Web Cache, Internet Directory, mail and calendar servers). Oracle gives these no CPE of their own and names them only in the description.

8 java-client-side not reached Oracle's own risk-matrix note saying the CVE is reached only through untrusted code in the Java sandbox (applets, Web Start) or only through a client installation of Java, so a server running its own trusted code is not exposed

9 osv-maven not reached An OSV.dev record of this CVE affecting a package published to Maven Central. When every such package is one business applications do not use (Minecraft mods and launchers, Fastjson) and no tracked product is named by CPE, it settles the CVE as Outside Waratek scope instead

10 cna-maven-package not reached An affected Maven artifact named by the CNA itself

11 known-cpe-product not reached An NVD CPE naming a product ARMR tracks

12 cna-cpe-product not reached A CPE the CNA published naming a tracked product. Oracle publishes these on advisory day, months before NVD.

13 oracle-advisory-family not reached A tracked product family named in Oracle's own risk matrix. CPE cannot carry a suite name, only a module.

14 cna-named-product not reached A tracked product named in words by the CVE's own CNA, on a record with no CPE yet. Apache and Eclipse publish these on advisory day, before NVD adds CPE data.

15 non-deployable-product not reached The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached

16 unmatched-product not reached No tracked product matched above, and none present at all

disposition: What do we do about one that is? every rule runs

17 patch-hint not reached A reference pointing at the upstream fix: a commit, a PR, a Red Hat bug

18 open-source-maven not reached The affected package being open source on Maven, so the fix can be read

19 poc-derivable not reached An indexed exploit clearing the evidence bar to reverse-engineer, where there is no source to read

20 no-exploit not reached Nothing to build a rule from yet: no published exploit, no CISA record of exploitation and no source-level change to read

21 secure-rule-match not reached A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule

22 exploited-no-fix-or-poc not reached Somebody exploiting this CVE (a CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, or a CISA verdict of active exploitation), with no fix, source code or PoC to build a rule from

23 below-action-threshold not reached Medium or Low severity, no CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, no PoC clearing the evidence bar, no CISA verdict, no Oracle advisory

24 no-exploit-published not reached Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all

NVD ↗ · CVE.org ↗