Security Bulletin
Summary
Apache Tika library vulnerability via XML External Entity injection with IBM OpenPages have been addressed in the latest IBM OpenPages fixpack for 8.3, 9.0 and 9.1
Vulnerability Details
CVEID: CVE-2025-54988
DESCRIPTION: Critical XXE in Apache Tika (tika-parser-pdf-module) in Apache Tika 1.13 through and including 3.2.1 on all platforms allows an attacker to carry out XML External Entity injection via a crafted XFA file inside of a PDF. An attacker may be able to read sensitive data or trigger malicious requests to internal resources or third-party servers. Note that the tika-parser-pdf-module is used as a dependency in several Tika packages including at least: tika-parsers-standard-modules, tika-parsers-standard-package, tika-app, tika-grpc and tika-server-standard.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.2.2, which fixes this issue.
CWE: CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
CVSS Source: security@apache.org
CVSS Base score: 8.4
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
Affected Products and Versions
| Affected Product(s) | Version(s) |
| IBM OpenPages | 9.1 |
| IBM OpenPages | 9.0 |
| IBM OpenPages with Watson | IBM OpenPages with Watson 8.3 |
Remediation/Fixes
A fix has been created for each affected version of the named product. Download and install the fix as soon as possible. Fixes and installation instructions are provided at the URLs listed below:
|
Product |
Remediation |
|
For IBM OpenPages 9.1.2 |
Download URL for 9.1.2 https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/downloading-ibm-openpages-version-912-passport-advantage
|
|
For IBM OpenPages 9.0
- Apply 9.0 FixPack 5 (9.0.0.5) - Then Apply 9.0.0.5 Interim Fix 3 (9.0.0.5.7) |
Download URL for 9.0.0.5 https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-openpages-90-fix-pack-5
Download URL for 9.0.0.5.7 https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-openpages-9005-interim-fix-7
|
|
For IBM OpenPages 8.3
- Apply 8.3 FixPack 3 (8.3.0.3) - Then Apply 8.3.0.3 Interim Fix 3 (8.3.0.3.3) |
Download URL for 8.3.0.3 https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/openpages-watson-83-fix-pack-3
Download URL for 8.3.0.3.3 https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-openpages-8303-interim-fix-3 |
For IBM OpenPages v8.0/8.1/8.2 customers, IBM recommends to upgrade to a fixed and supported versions 8.3 or later of the product.
Workarounds and Mitigations
If there are constraints preventing an immediate upgrade to secure OpenPages versions, it is recommended to implement one of the following mitigation strategies:
- Restrict PDF File Uploads in OpenPages
Prevent users from uploading PDF file attachments to reduce exposure. Configuration guidance is available in the IBM documentation:
9.1 - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/openpages/9.1.x?topic=types-configuring-file-file-attachments
9.0 - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/openpages/9.0.0?topic=types-configuring-file-file-attachments
8.3 - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/openpages/8.3.0?topic=types-configuring-file-file-attachments
2. Exclude PDF MIME Type from Indexing
Disable indexing specifically for PDF MIME types to prevent them from being processed by the global search engine:
3. Disable File Indexing Entirely
As a broader measure, disable file indexing across the platform to eliminate the risk from all file types
8.3 - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/openpages/8.3.0?topic=feature-enabling-disabling-global-search
Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins
References
None
Acknowledgement
Change History
18 Nov 2025: Initial Publication
*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Security Bulletin.
Disclaimer
According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an "industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response." IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES ""AS IS"" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY. In addition to other efforts to address potential vulnerabilities, IBM periodically updates the record of components contained in our product offerings. As part of that effort, if IBM identifies previously unidentified packages in a product/service inventory, we address relevant vulnerabilities regardless of CVE date. Inclusion of an older CVEID does not demonstrate that the referenced product has been used by IBM since that date, nor that IBM was aware of a vulnerability as of that date. We are making clients aware of relevant vulnerabilities as we become aware of them. "Affected Products and Versions" referenced in IBM Security Bulletins are intended to be only products and versions that are supported by IBM and have not passed their end-of-support or warranty date. Thus, failure to reference unsupported or extended-support products and versions in this Security Bulletin does not constitute a determination by IBM that they are unaffected by the vulnerability. Reference to one or more unsupported versions in this Security Bulletin shall not create an obligation for IBM to provide fixes for any unsupported or extended-support products or versions.
Document Location
Worldwide
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Document Information
Modified date:
18 November 2025
Initial Publish date:
18 November 2025
UID
ibm17251700