# CVE-2026-54082: veraPDF XML External Entity vulnerability in PDF validation model

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54082-verapdf-xml-external-entity-vulnerability-in-pdf-validation-model  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-29. Updated: 2026-07-29  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-54082 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-07-29

veraPDF is an open-source library used to validate PDF files against archival standards. A security flaw allows specially crafted PDF files to trigger unauthorized actions when they are processed by the software. This could allow an attacker to read sensitive local files from the server or make unauthorized network requests, potentially compromising private data or internal systems.

Technologies: [org.verapdf:validation-model (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-verapdf-validation-model), [org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-verapdf-validation-model-jakarta), [veraPDF Validation-Model](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/validation-model), [veraPDF Validation-Model-Jakarta](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/validation-model-jakarta), [veraPDF-validation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/verapdf-validation). Vendors: [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven), [veraPDF](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/verapdf).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-54082 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-54082 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-54082?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 29 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** org.verapdf:validation-model (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=1.17.35,fixed=1.30.2; org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=1.17.35,fixed=1.30.2; veraPDF Validation-Model >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1; >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70; veraPDF Validation-Model-Jakarta >= 1.17.35, < 1.30.2; >= 1.31.1, < 1.31.71, >= 1.17.35, <= 1.30.1; >= 1.31.1, <= 1.31.70; and 1 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54082?** Yes. org.verapdf:validation-model (Maven): upgrade to 1.30.2 or later; org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta (Maven): upgrade to 1.30.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-54082 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-54082?** Check whether you run org.verapdf:validation-model (Maven), org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta (Maven), veraPDF Validation-Model or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- org.verapdf:validation-model (Maven): upgrade to 1.30.2 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.verapdf:validation-model to 1.30.2 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta (Maven): upgrade to 1.30.2 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.verapdf:validation-model-jakarta to 1.30.2 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Technical details

An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in veraPDF-validation within the PDFAValidator.validate() and GFPDAcroForm.getdynamicRender() methods. The root cause is the use of a default DocumentBuilderFactory that does not disable DTDs or external entity expansion when parsing rich-text annotations, form-field values, or XFA configurations. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious PDF file to an application using the library. Successful exploitation can lead to local file disclosure (LFD) and Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) depending on the JVM environment. The issue is resolved by migrating to SecureXML.newSafeDocumentBuilder() in versions 1.30.2 and 1.31.71.

## Affected products

- veraPDF veraPDF-validation >= 1.17.35, < 1.30.2; >= 1.31.1, < 1.31.71
- veraPDF validation-model-jakarta >= 1.17.35, < 1.30.2; >= 1.31.1, < 1.31.71

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-54082
- GHSA-cg9x-g3gm-h5h6

## Timeline

- 2026-05-19: other: Fix developed in pull request
- 2026-05-28: patched: Fix merged into integration branch
- 2026-06-08: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory published
- 2026-07-29: disclosed: CVE published to NVD

## References

- [https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/94caa46c1a594512247fbd46c808edae39469542](https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/94caa46c1a594512247fbd46c808edae39469542)
- [https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/cacd9436d0de40b0e58cc7d2dbb06451619e61ec](https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/commit/cacd9436d0de40b0e58cc7d2dbb06451619e61ec)
- [https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/pull/730](https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/pull/730)
- [https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/security/advisories/GHSA-cg9x-g3gm-h5h6](https://github.com/veraPDF/veraPDF-validation/security/advisories/GHSA-cg9x-g3gm-h5h6)

## Related threats

- [veraPDF XML External Entity injection in XFA stream validation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54079-verapdf-xml-external-entity-injection-in-xfa-stream-validation)
- [veraPDF XXE vulnerability in rich-text validation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54078-verapdf-xxe-vulnerability-in-rich-text-validation)