CVE-2018-11761: Apache Tika XML Entity Expansion Denial of Service
Summary
CVE-2018-11761: High severity vulnerability that affects org.apache.tika:tika-core. Affects org.apache.tika:tika-core versions >= 0.1, < 1.19.1. Fixed in 1.19.1. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- tika · Debian:11
The same CVE-2018-11761 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Apache Tika is a Java library used for detecting and extracting metadata and structured text content from various document formats. The 'org.apache.tika:tika-core' package is a core component of Apache Tika, providing essential functionality for parsing and processing documents. However, versions 0.1 to 1.18 of Apache Tika were found to be vulnerable to an XML entity expansion attack.
Vulnerability Detail
The XML parsers used in Apache Tika versions 0.1 to 1.18 were not properly configured to limit entity expansion. This vulnerability allows an attacker to craft a malicious XML file that triggers excessive entity expansion, leading to a denial of service (DoS) attack. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can consume excessive system resources, potentially causing the application to become unresponsive or crash.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 4.1.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.19.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to update to the fixed version of Apache Tika to protect your application from potential DoS attacks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Apache Tika versions 0.1 to 1.18 are vulnerable to an XML entity expansion DoS attack. To mitigate this vulnerability, it is crucial to update to Apache Tika version 1.19.1 or later. Failure to address this issue may result in potential DoS attacks against your application. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for org.apache.tika:tika-core →
FAQ
Apache Tika is a Java library used for detecting and extracting metadata and structured text content from various document formats.
This vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) attack by consuming excessive system resources, potentially causing the application to become unresponsive or crash.
Versions 0.1 to 1.18 of Apache Tika are affected by this vulnerability.
To fix this vulnerability, upgrade to Apache Tika version 1.19.1 or later.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. Updating to the fixed version is necessary.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for org.apache.tika:tika-core.
