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TI-2026-41398 Aliases CVE-2026-57485

Stirling-PDF: Internal Service Account API Key Disclosure via Pipeline Endpoint

Priority HIGH 70CWE-200Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Information disclosure
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · Low · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-200.

Summary

Stirling-PDF is a locally hosted web application that facilitates various operations on PDF files. Prior to 2.9.0, the /api/v1/pipeline/handleData endpoint in app/core/src/main/java/stirling/software/SPDF/controller/api/pipeline/PipelineProcessor.java injects the STIRLING-PDF-BACKEND-API-USER API key into pipeline subrequests, allowing an authenticated ROLE_USER to retrieve the key through /api/v1/user/get-api-key, impersonate the internal service account, bypass normal rate limits, and access internal endpoints including /api/v1/info/requests/all and /api/v1/info/load/all. This issue is fixed in version 2.9.0.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00421 36th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Stirling-PDF (Stirling-Tools): 2.9.0

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Stirling-ToolsStirling-PDFbefore 2.9.02.9.0Patch availableCNA
  • Stirling-PDF VendorStirling-Tools Affected before 2.9.0 Fixed in 2.9.0 Patch available CNA

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Stirling-PDF (Stirling-Tools) Fixed in 2.9.0

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-57485

References

Other 4

  • TI-2025-34843 Stirling-PDF SSRF vulnerability on /api/v1/convert/markdown/pdf CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-34834 Stirling-PDF SSRF vulnerability on /api/v1/convert/file/pdf CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-34833 Stirling-PDF SSRF vulnerability on /api/v1/convert/html/pdf CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-74445 Code injection in Stirling-PDF via H2 database import CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
  • TI-2025-29281 Stirling-PDF Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)-Induced Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.7
  • TI-2026-76934 Stirling-PDF H2 SQL denylist bypass allows Java method execution CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.6
See all 18 →

Sources

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