# CVE-2026-23907: Apache PDFBox Examples: Path Traversal in PDFBox ExtractEmbeddedFiles Example Code

> Path traversal in Apache PDFBox example code allows attackers to write files outside the intended directory if the example is used in production.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23907, GHSA-jjwr-xmw6-gf78, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23907

## What is CVE-2026-23907?

CVE-2026-23907 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples, published on 10 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This issue affects the 
ExtractEmbeddedFiles example in Apache PDFBox: from 2.0.24 through 2.0.35, from 3.0.0 through 3.0.6.

The ExtractEmbeddedFiles example contains a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) because 
the filename that is obtained from 
PDComplexFileSpecification.getFilename() is appended to the extraction path.

Users who have copied this example into their production code should 
review it to ensure that the extraction path is acceptable. The example 
has been changed accordingly, now the initial path and the extraction 
paths are converted into canonical paths and it is verified that 
extraction path contains the initial path. The documentation has also 
been adjusted.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23907?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 2.0.24 | 3.0.7 |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 2.0.24 | 3.0.7 |

Products: Apache Pdfbox-Examples.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23907?

Upgrade org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples to 3.0.7 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-23907 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23907 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-23907 - pdfbox - Path Traversal (github_poc): https://github.com/JoakimBulow/CVE-2026-23907

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23907 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23907 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples, published on 10 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23907 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 2.0.24; fixed in 3.0.7
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 2.0.24; fixed in 3.0.7

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-2026-23907/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23907/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23907
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23907
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23907

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23907/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.