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TI-2016-01985 Aliases CVE-2016-2175GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98

Apache PDFBox before 1.8.12 and 2.x before 2.0.1 does not properly initialize the XML…

Priority MEDIUM 41CWE-611Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 5 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat.

Summary

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.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.0384 90th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven): 1.8.12, 2.0.1Red Hat: 4 advisoriesRed Hat: 5 fixed, 5 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
—org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven)before 1.8.121.8.12Patch availableGHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98
—org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven)2.0.0 to before 2.0.12.0.1Patch availableGHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
  • org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 1.8.12 Fixed in 1.8.12 Patch available GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98
  • org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven) Vendor— Affected 2.0.0 to before 2.0.1 Fixed in 2.0.1 Patch available GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98

CPE configurations NVD · 17

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.0VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.1VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.2VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.3VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.4VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.5VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.6VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.7VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.8VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.9VulnerableApache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.0 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.1 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.2 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.3 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.4 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.5 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.6 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.7 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.8 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.9 Vulnerable ·Apache
Show 7 more CPE
CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.10VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.8.11VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*2.0VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*2.0 rc1VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*2.0 rc2VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*2.0 rc3VulnerableApache
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*8.0VulnerableDebian
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.10 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:1.8.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.8.11 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:pdfbox:2.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0 rc3 Vulnerable ·Apache
  • cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Debian

Remediation

  • Fix · GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98 org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven) Fixed in 1.8.12 Advisory →
  • Fix · GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98 org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven) Fixed in 2.0.1 Advisory →

Red Hat 4 advisories

  • RHSA-2017:0272 Released 2017-02-14 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6.3
  • RHSA-2017:0248 Released 2017-02-02 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat JBoss BRMS security update
    • Red Hat JBoss BRMS 6.4
  • RHSA-2017:0249 Released 2017-02-02 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite security update
    • Red Hat JBoss BPMS 6.4
Show 1 more Red Hat advisories
  • RHSA-2017:0179 Released 2017-01-19 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat JBoss Fuse/A-MQ 6.3 security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6.3
    • Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat BPM Suite 6AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat JBoss BRMS 6AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat JBoss Portal 6AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Satellite 5AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6.3Fixed RHSA-2017:0179
Red Hat JBoss BPMS 6.4Fixed RHSA-2017:0249
Red Hat JBoss BRMS 6.4Fixed RHSA-2017:0248
Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6.3Fixed RHSA-2017:0272
Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6.3Fixed RHSA-2017:0179
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat JBoss Fuse Service Works 6

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-2175
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4c32-xmgj-2g98
  3. 2026-10-19 EPSS moved to the 90th–95th percentile

References

Patch 2

Advisory 7

Other 5

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences