CVE-2026-54079
highpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.006 · 46 %ileDEEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
veraPDF validation provides PDF/A and PDF/UA validation, feature reporting, and metadata repair. From 1.17.35 until 1.30.2 and 1.31.71, veraPDF-validation contains an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/pd/GFPDAcroForm.java in the getdynamicRender() method, where a crafted PDF containing a malicious XFA stream can cause external entity expansion during PDF/UA-1 validation and allow local file disclosure or outbound server-side requests. This issue is fixed in versions 1.30.2 and 1.31.71.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 6.6–8.7
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (10)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
- Maven org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta1.17.35 → 1.30.2osvUSpkg:maven/org.verapdf/validation-model-jakarta
- Maven org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta1.31.1 → 1.31.71osvUSpkg:maven/org.verapdf/validation-model-jakarta
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-2867RealObjects PDFreactor: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen nicht spezifizierten AngriffDeutsch2026-08-16csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in RealObjects PDFreactor ausnutzen, um einen nicht näher spezifizierten Angriff durchzuführen.
- GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2jveraPDF Validation XXE via XFA2026-07-29ghsa · osvUS
## Summary **Description** An XML External Entity Injection (CWE-611) vulnerability in veraPDF allows a remote attacker to read arbitrary files on the server file system and perform Server-Side Request Forgery by submitting a crafted PDF containing a malicious XFA stream. This affects all current versions of veraPDF-validation. ## Details The vulnerability resides in veraPDF-validation `validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/pd/GFPDAcroForm.java` within the `getdynamicRender()` method. This method retrieves the /XFA entry from the PDF's /AcroForm dictionary, decodes the embedded XML stream, and parses it to extract the `<dynamicRender>` element value. The vulnerability stems from the use of a default-configured `DocumentBuilderFactory` to parse fully attacker-controlled XML: - The factory is created via `DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance()` with no security features enabled. disallow-doctype-decl, external-general-entities, external-parameter-entities, and FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING are all left at their insecure defaults. - The input passed to `builder.parse()` is the decoded /XFA stream taken directly from the untrusted PDF. - The text content of the `<dynamicRender>` node is returned to the validation model. Note that the shipped PDF/UA-1 rule (`dynamicRender != 'required'`) consumes this value but does not echo it into the report output, so reliable exfiltration requires the out-of-band parameter-entity technique described under Impact rather than in-band reflection. ## Impact This impacts all current releases of the veraPDF validation-model module. Successful exploitation requires only that the target validate an attacker-supplied PDF against the PDF/UA-1 profile (or via flavour auto-detection on a PDF that declares PDF/UA-1 conformance), since `getdynamicRender()` is invoked by the `dynamicRender != 'required'` rule in the bundled PDF/UA-1 profile. No additional configuration or operator action is required. ## Proposed Patch Harden the `DocumentBuilderFactory` in `validation-model/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/impl/pd/GFPDAcroForm.java` per the OWASP XXE Prevention Cheat Sheet to disallow DOCTYPE outright.
also known as (3)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (13)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validationPatchcnnvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/94caa46c1a594512247fbd46c808edae39469542cnnvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/cacd9436d0de40b0e58cc7d2dbb06451619e61eccnnvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/pull/730cnnvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/security/advisories/GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2jcnnvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/94caa46c1a594512247fbd46c808edae39469542enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/cacd9436d0de40b0e58cc7d2dbb06451619e61ecenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/pull/730enisa_euvd
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