CVE-2026-33929 Details
Description
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples. This issue affects the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example in Apache PDFBox: from 2.0.24 through 2.0.36, from 3.0.0 through 3.0.7. Users are recommended to update to version 2.0.37 or 3.0.8 once available. Until then, they should apply the fix provided in GitHub PR 427. The ExtractEmbeddedFiles example contained a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) mentioned in CVE-2026-23907. However the change in the releases 2.0.36 and 3.0.7 is flawed because it doesn't consider the file path separator. Because of that, a user having writing rights on /home/ABC could be victim to a malicious PDF resulting in a write attempt to any path starting with /home/ABC, e.g. "/home/ABCDEF". Users who have copied this example into their production code should apply the mentioned change. The example has been changed accordingly and is available in the project repository.
A path traversal vulnerability has been identified in the Apache PDFBox Examples, specifically in the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example. This issue affects versions 2.0.24 prior to 2.0.36 and 3.0.0 prior to 3.0.7. The vulnerability arises because the directory validation logic does not properly handle file path separators, allowing a malicious PDF to exploit the flaw and write to unintended locations. Users who have integrated this example into their production code should apply the recommended fix available in GitHub PR 427.
Users are advised to update to Apache PDFBox version 2.0.37 or 3.0.8, once available. Those who have copied the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example into their production code should apply the fix provided in GitHub PR 427.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
No CVSS 4.0 data is available for this CVE.
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
CISA-ADP
Assessed Apr 14, 2026References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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| URL | Source(s) | Tag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| https://github.com/apache/pdfbox/pull/427/changes | [email protected] | Patch |
| https://lists.apache.org/thread/j8l07tgzy9dm8d8n0f3c45h7zg7t3ld6 | [email protected] | Mailing ListVendor Advisory |
| https://lists.apache.org/thread/op3lyx1ngzy4qycn06l6hljyf28ff0zs | [email protected] | Mailing List |
Weakness Enumeration
| CWE-ID | CWE Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CWE-22 | Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') | [email protected] |
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| apache pdfbox | >= 2.0.24, < 2.0.37 >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.8 |
CPE
Remediation
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Change History
5 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | [email protected] |
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | CISA-ADP |
| Apr 20, 2026 | Initial Analysis | [email protected] |
| Apr 14, 2026 | CVE Modified | CISA-ADP |
| Apr 14, 2026 | New CVE Received | [email protected] |