# CVE-2025-3225: XML Entity Expansion vulnerability in run-llama/llama_index

> Attackers can cause denial of service via memory exhaustion using malicious XML sitemaps in the llama_index library.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Jul 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w42r-mrx7-c633, PYSEC-2025-250, PYSEC-2026-1570

## What is CVE-2025-3225?

CVE-2025-3225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in run-llama/llama_index, published on 7 Jul 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An XML Entity Expansion vulnerability, also known as a 'billion laughs' attack, exists in the sitemap parser of the run-llama/llama_index repository, specifically affecting version v0.12.21. This vulnerability allows an attacker to supply a malicious Sitemap XML, leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) by exhausting system memory and potentially causing a system crash. The issue is resolved in version v0.12.29.

Weakness: CWE-776 (Improper Restriction of Recursive Entity References in DTDs)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-3225?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including llama-index-readers-papers and llama-index. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `llama-index-readers-papers` | PyPI | All versions | 0.3.2 |
| `llama-index-readers-papers` | PyPI | All versions | 0.3.2 |
| `llama-index-readers-papers` | PyPI | All versions | 0.3.2 |
| `llama-index` | PyPI | From 0.12.21 | 0.12.29 |

Products: Llamaindex Llamaindex.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-3225?

Upgrade llama-index-readers-papers to 0.3.2 or later.

## Is CVE-2025-3225 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-3225 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in run-llama/llama_index

- [CVE-2024-12909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-12909/): SQL Injection to RCE in run-llama/llama_index (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-1793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1793/): SQL Injection in run-llama/llama_index (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-1750](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1750/): SQL Injection in run-llama/llama_index (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-11958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11958/): SQL Injection in run-llama/llama_index (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-3271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3271/): Command Injection in run-llama/llama_index (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-3225 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-3225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in run-llama/llama_index, published on 7 Jul 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-3225 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- llama-index-readers-papers (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.3.2
- llama-index-readers-papers (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.3.2
- llama-index-readers-papers (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.3.2
- llama-index (PyPI): affected from 0.12.21; fixed in 0.12.29

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-3225/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-3225/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-3225
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-3225
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-3225

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-3225/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.