CVE-2015-3271: Tika server Apache Tika Server Exposes Sensitive Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-ccjp-w723-2jf2
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CVSS 5.3
CWE-200
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2015-3271 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) apache tika server exposes sensitive vulnerability (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting Tika server libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache tika server exposes sensitive information. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.10.

CVE-2015-3271 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2015-3271
GHSA Identifier GHSA-ccjp-w723-2jf2
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
Affected Product Tika server
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2015-3271

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Tika server dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.tika:tika-server fixed: 1.10 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tika</groupId>
    <artifactId>tika-server</artifactId>
    <version>1.10</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tika

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2015-3271, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tika

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Tika server in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.10), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tika command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor, where the product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. In Tika server, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Apache Tika provides optional functionality to run itself as a web service to allow remote use. When used in this manner, it's possible for a 3rd party to pass a 'fileUrl' header to the Apache Tika Server (tika-server) before version 1.10. This header lets a remote client request that the server fetches content from the URL provided, including files from the server's local filesystem. Depending on the file permissions set on the local filesystem, this could be used to return sensitive content from the server machine. This vulnerability only exists if you are running the tika-server version 1.9, and you allow un-trusted access to the tika-server URL. Usage of Apache Tika as a standard library is not affected.

CVE-2015-3271 Affected Tika server Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.10
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.tika:tika-server
maven/org.apache.tika/tika-server
Maven
< 1.10
1.10

References

NVD — CVE-2015-3271 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3271
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-ccjp-w723-2jf2
Tika server Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/tika
lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7a... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7afb0251fac95fdee9817423cbc91e3d99a848c25a51d91c1e8%401439485507%40%3Cdev.tika.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7a... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7afb0251fac95fdee9817423cbc91e3d99a848c25a51d91c1e8@1439485507@%3Cdev.tika.apache.org%3E
Tika server Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/08/13/5
Tika server Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95020

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2015-3271?
CVE-2015-3271 is a security vulnerability in Tika server involving Apache Tika Server exposes sensitive information under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor.
Which Tika server versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.10 across affected packages: org.apache.tika:tika-server.
What version fixes CVE-2015-3271?
Upgrading to 1.10 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is tika-server affected?
Yes, org.apache.tika:tika-server is affected in releases prior to 1.10. Upgrade your dependency to 1.10 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2015-3271?
CVE-2015-3271 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2015-3271?
CVE-2015-3271 is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2015-3271?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tika'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-ccjp-w723-2jf2",
  "modified" : "2023-09-12T15:51:03Z",
  "published" : "2018-10-17T15:44:10Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2015-3271" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Tika Server exposes sensitive information",
  "details" : "Apache Tika provides optional functionality to run itself as a web service to allow remote use. When used in this manner,\nit's possible for a 3rd party to pass a 'fileUrl' header to the Apache Tika Server (tika-server) before version 1.10. This header lets a remote client request that the server fetches content from the URL provided, including files from the server's local filesystem. Depending on the file permissions set on the local filesystem, this could be used to return sensitive content from the server machine.\n\nThis vulnerability only exists if you are running the tika-server version 1.9, and you allow un-trusted access to the tika-server\nURL. Usage of Apache Tika as a standard library is not affected.\n",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.tika:tika-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.10"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3271"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-ccjp-w723-2jf2"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/tika"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7afb0251fac95fdee9817423cbc91e3d99a848c25a51d91c1e8%401439485507%40%3Cdev.tika.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d2b3e7afb0251fac95fdee9817423cbc91e3d99a848c25a51d91c1e8@1439485507@%3Cdev.tika.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/08/13/5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95020"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-200" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:31:02Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2016-12-15T22:59:00Z"
  }
}