{"id":"CVE-2026-54079","aliases":["GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2j"],"title":"veraPDF Validation XXE via XFA","summary":"veraPDF Validation XXE via XFA","severity":"high","cwe":["CWE-611"],"vendor":"verapdf","product":"org.verapdf:validation-model","ecosystem":"maven","affected":["org.verapdf:validation-model >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1","org.verapdf:validation-model >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70","org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1","org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70"],"patched":["org.verapdf:validation-model 1.30.2","org.verapdf:validation-model 1.31.71","org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta 1.30.2","org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta 1.31.71"],"published":"2026-07-29","updated":"2026-07-29","source":"GHSA","sourceUrl":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2j","references":[{"url":"https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/security/advisories/GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2j"},{"url":"https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/pull/730"},{"url":"https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/94caa46c1a594512247fbd46c808edae39469542"},{"url":"https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/cacd9436d0de40b0e58cc7d2dbb06451619e61ec"},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-36mm-w85j-3q2j"}],"tags":["ghsa","maven"],"ingestedAt":"2026-07-29T15:48:26.053Z","epss":0.0032,"epssPercentile":0.25077,"slug":"CVE-2026-54079","body":"## Overview\n\n## Summary  \n  \n**Description**\nAn 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.  \n  \n## Details  \nThe 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.  \n  \nThe vulnerability stems from the use of a default-configured `DocumentBuilderFactory` to parse fully attacker-controlled XML:  \n- 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.  \n- The input passed to `builder.parse()` is the decoded /XFA stream taken directly from the untrusted PDF.  \n- 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.  \n  \n## Impact  \n  \nThis impacts all current releases of the veraPDF validation-model module.  \n  \nSuccessful 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.  \n    \n## Proposed Patch  \n  \nHarden 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.\n\n## Affected packages\n\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70`\n\n## Remediation\n\nUpgrade to a patched release:\n\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model 1.30.2`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model 1.31.71`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta 1.30.2`\n- `org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta 1.31.71`","depth":"twilight","depthScore":41,"depthScoreParts":{"impact":41.3,"likelihood":0.1,"exploitation":0,"ransomware":0},"changes":[]}