How severe is CVE-2016-4434?

CVE-2016-4434 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-4434 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-4434?

CVE-2016-4434 affects Apache Tika. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-4434?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-4434 published?

CVE-2016-4434 was published on 2017-09-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-4434

CVE-2016-4434 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Tika with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-611.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (88th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-611
Affected product: Apache Tika
Published: 2017-09-30
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Apache Tika before 1.13 does not properly initialize the XML parser or choose handlers, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via vectors involving (1) spreadsheets in OOXML files and (2) XMP metadata in PDF and other file formats, a related issue to CVE-2016-2175.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-4434?: Apache Tika before 1.13 does not properly initialize the XML parser or choose handlers, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via vectors involving (1) spreadsheets in OOXML files and (2) XMP metadata in PDF and other file formats, a related issue to CVE-2016-2175.
How severe is CVE-2016-4434?: CVE-2016-4434 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-4434 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-4434?: CVE-2016-4434 affects Apache Tika. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-4434?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-4434 published?: CVE-2016-4434 was published on 2017-09-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:apache:tika:1.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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